The revised terms and conditions of employment and administrative contract/compensation structure will not officially go into effect for existing faculty with administrative roles until July 1, 2026, although a number of faculty with administrative positions are already set up in accordance with this structure. The Office of the Provost will inform all current faculty of these changes by July 1, 2025, with cascading communications being disseminated throughout the summer to capture any incoming faculty who received a contract prior to July 1, 2025.

Starting July 1, 2025, all new faculty contracts - both for newly hired faculty and current faculty members who are moving into new administrative roles from a non-administrative appointment - will follow the updated contract and compensation structure, as well as the new terms and conditions of employment.

Please visit these links (VCU login required):

• Standard Faculty Terms and Conditions
• Academic Administrator Terms and Conditions

View the breakdown of contract types/definitions and compensation structure. 

• VCU is aligning the definition for Academic Administrators with the university’s IPEDS “Faculty Management Occupations” definition. In general, this includes all faculty in full-time administrative roles serving an entire school/college or higher, at the level of Assistant/Associate Dean and above. It does not include department/program chairs and most center directors.
• Compensation for most faculty with administrative appointments will be split as a base academic salary (either 9-month or 12-month, as appropriate for the college/school/department) plus an administrative supplement that is eligible for university merit increases and benefits just like the base salary.
• Clear language will be provided in the terms and conditions of employment that when administrative duties end, the associated administrative compensation (including any position change from 9-month to 10-month or 12-month for an administrative role) ends as well and is not subject to additional notice. Administrative supplements are “at will” and are removed at the end of the pay period following the date when the administrative duties are removed (or the end of the contract period during which the duties conclude, whichever occurs first).

Non-academic administrators serving in faculty roles with administrative responsibilities - such as department chairs or directors - may have 9-month, 10-month, or 12-month contracts, at the discretion of the respective dean or unit leader. This model provides a framework for ensuring that all compensation associated with the administrative appointment - whether for a 12-month appointment, a 10-month appointment, or a 9-month appointment - is eligible for merit increases and associated benefits on the full salary including any administrative supplement. Deans/unit leaders may decide to convert a 12-month appointment to a 9-month or 10-month appointment, with an administrative supplement for the amount of administrative work required over the summer as applicable. Summer needs may vary between schools and academic programs. 

Academic Administrators have different notice of non-renewal provisions than standard faculty appointments (max of 6 months for those hired as of January 1, 2018 and after vs. max of 12 months for standard faculty appointments), as well as a more limited grievance process that is outlined in the Terms and Conditions of Employment for Academic Administrators. Additionally, all full-time Academic Administrator positions are generally 12-month appointments whereas standard faculty appointments may be 9-month, 10-month, or 12-month at the discretion of the respective unit leader.

If you are a faculty member with an administrative role, please reference the Faculty Administrative Contract Types and Compensation Structure document to determine whether there may be an impact to your own appointment, noting that any necessary changes for existing contracts will not be implemented until next year.

No, the separation of an academic base salary from an appropriate administrative supplement does not result in reduced take-home pay or benefits. Any university merit increases will be applied to both the base salary and any administrative supplement beginning in 2026. Additionally, retirement benefits for both ORP and VRS participants are calculated on both the base salary plus any administrative supplement.

Effective July 1, 2026 and after, if a 12-month faculty member of any type transitions to a 9-month or 10-month appointment or separates from VCU, annual leave will be paid out on both the base salary and any administrative supplement in force at the time of the transition/separation. Faculty are eligible to be paid out for a maximum of 288 hours of accrued annual leave upon separation or transition, compensated at their then-current rate of pay. (Hourly rate is determined by dividing the total base salary plus administrative supplement, as applicable, by 2080)

Yes – Beginning July 1, 2026, if there is a university merit increase exercise, the same merit increase percentage applied to the base salary would also be applied to any administrative salary supplement that remains in force as of the merit effective date.

Yes – If there is a merit increase exercise that is effective June 10, 2026 for 12-month faculty, and you are eligible, your July 1, 2026 paycheck will reflect June 10 merit adjustments on both your base academic salary and your administrative supplement, as applicable. 

No – Administrative salary supplements are removed in their entirety when an administrative role ends or the duties are discontinued. This includes any merit increases that may have been earned on the administrative supplement.

The Office of the Provost and the Office of the Senior Vice President for Health Sciences will work closely with deans/unit leaders and school/college HR staff over the next year to determine appropriate base salaries for those who don’t currently have one, using a consistent methodology that considers relevant market ranges and internal alignment data. The base salary will be either 9-month or 12-month depending on the school/discipline. The difference between the determined base salary amount and the current salary amount (plus any earned merit increases) will be split out as an administrative supplement beginning in 2026.

Assuming you continue in your administrative role, your salary will be reflected on your contract as a base 9-month salary of $120,000 plus an administrative supplement of $55,000 for the same total 12-month salary of $175,000, effective July 1, 2026. (Any university merit increase that you may earn in 2026 would also be applied to this amount, as applicable). Your overall salary and status as a 12-month faculty member will not change and you will be eligible for merit increases and benefits on both your base salary and your administrative supplement.  

Please consult the Faculty Administrative Contract Types and Compensation Structures document for details. Note that deans/unit leaders have the discretion to handle term and probationary tenure-eligible faculty serving in non-temporary academic administrator roles as either one base faculty salary with non-renewal provisions, or as a base faculty “return” salary plus an administrative supplement that is removed when duties are removed. Please consult with your dean/unit leader if you are unsure whether you are impacted.

Yes – Next year you will be issued a standard faculty contract and corresponding terms and conditions that outline your administrative role and associated administrative compensation. Please see FAQ above regarding the differences between academic administrator and standard faculty appointments.

Upon conversion from a 12-month contract to a 9-month contract, the following would occur at the time of transition:

• You would be compensated for your accrued annual leave balance, up to a maximum of 288 hours. This leave would be paid out to you in a lump sum at your then-current salary. (*Includes administrative supplement as of July 1, 2026) Hourly rate is determined by dividing the total base salary plus administrative supplement, as applicable, by 2080.
• Compensable annual leave would no longer be accrued as of the contract conversion date. Faculty members on 9-month and 10-month contracts have access to leave benefits in accordance with the VCU Leave Guidelines.
• Assuming administrative duties continue, your salary would be set up as a base 9-month salary plus an administrative supplement to compensate you for your administrative role including any time determined to be needed from you during the summer, which may vary across schools and departments. This determination would be made by the dean/unit leader based on consideration of department needs over the summer. Your new contract would articulate the amount of effort expected of you over the summer months and during what time period.
• As of July 1, 2026, such contract conversions - either as part of a reassignment/removal of administrative duties or as a restructuring of the current administrative contract - will not require advance notice as long as the contractual base 9-month salary remains unchanged.

Yes – While your contract may continue as a 10-month appointment at the discretion of your dean, your salary will be split out as a clear 9-month base academic salary plus an administrative supplement to compensate you for your administrative role. In the event that you already have an administrative supplement, the additional month of pay would be added to your administrative supplement. As outlined above, all administrative supplements are eligible for retirement benefits and will also be eligible for university merit increases in 2026. Therefore, you would see no change to your overall compensation in the event you continue in your administrative role.

If this information is not clear in your current contract, please consult your respective dean/unit leader or HR Professional for guidance.

No - Secondary assignments are considered non-benefits eligible “overload” jobs and are not eligible for merit increases or retirement contributions. You can find additional details by reviewing the Secondary Assignments policy.

Please visit provost.vcu.edu/faculty-admin-contracts for additional resources. Your respective dean/unit leader and HR Professional can assist with questions that you may still have after reviewing these materials, consulting with the Office of the Provost as needed. Additionally, listening sessions will be offered during the Fall 2025 semester to engage with faculty and address questions.

The new Terms and Conditions include clarity that in the event of contract non-renewal for a 9/10-month term or probationary (tenure-eligible) faculty member, the notice period continues to run throughout summer months. This is the case for all 9/10-month term and probationary (tenure-eligible) faculty at VCU, regardless of any administrative function.