Revised 01/15/2026

Pending approval by the OU Board of Regents, as requested by President Harroz, staff salary increases are set to take effect on July 1, 2026.

Eligibility Criteria for Benefits-Eligible Staff:

To qualify for a merit increase, benefits-eligible staff must meet all the following criteria:

  1. Position & Appointment
    1. Appointed to a benefits-eligible position
    2. Hired before September 1, 2025
    3. Have a minimum of 0.5 Full-Time Equivalency (FTE)
  2. Performance Review
    1. Received a Merit Tier assignment of 3, 2, or 1 on their CY2025 Performance Review
  3. Salary Increase
    1. Staff with a salary increase effective between July 1, 2025 (excluding merit increases), and December 31, 2025, are only eligible for a Merit Tier assignment of 1.
    2. Staff with a salary increase on or after January 1, 2026, through June 30, 2026, are ineligible for a merit increase.
  4. Exceptions
    1. HR Compensation may approve exceptions due to extenuating circumstances.

Merit-Based Raises for Grant- and Contract-Funded Staff:

Merit-based raises for staff whose appointments are funded by grants or contracts must adhere to the same guidelines as other staff, including the specified increase amounts, timing, and exclusions outlined on this page.

If legal obligations within a grant or contract may prevent adherence to these guidelines, please send a copy of the signed agreement to HRCompensation@ou.edu for review, along with a list of affected employees that includes the following information:

  1. Employee Details:
    1. Employee Name
    2. Employee ID
  2. Position Funding Details:
    1. OU chartfield spreads and distribution amounts
    2. Grant or Contract Name
  3. Contract Period & Contacts:
    1. Performance Periods/Dates
    2. Contracting Officer or Granting Agency Point of Contact Name
    3. Principal Investigator Name
    4. Program Manager Name
    5. Contract Manager Name
  4. Contract/Grant Specifics:
    1. Contract or Grant Type (e.g., fixed price, cost-plus, research grant, fellowships, project grants, training grants, etc.)
    2. Funding restrictions or clauses regarding pay increases, or prior approval requirements by the contracting agency for increases or rate changes

Please contact your department administrator or HR Comp at HRCompensation@ou.edu if you have questions.

Academic Appointments:

Merit-based raises for employees in academic positions will generally follow the same guidelines as staff, with certain exceptions based on start date, funding source or appointment type. For questions regarding merit-based raises for academic employees, including faculty and researchers, please contact your college administrator or the Office of the Provost for your campus.

How are these merit raises administered?

No action is required from the employee to receive a Merit Tier salary increase. If approved by the OU Board of Regents, the increase will take effect on July 1.

HR colleagues, business managers, and financial administrators will receive an email regarding funding for the raise program and instructions for reviewing pay information.