Policy Authority: President and Vice Chancellor

Associated Procedure(s): Performance Reviews and Salary Advancement for Executive Officers

1.0       PRINCIPLES

1.1       The guiding principles of the compensation program for Executive Officers of Simon Fraser University are as follows:

1.1.1    Compensation levels must achieve a balance between fair value for work and the University's ability to pay.

1.1.2    Compensation levels reflect a measurement of job worth based on a composite of the skill, effort, responsibility and working conditions required to perform the work.

1.1.3    Compensation levels must be competitive within the external market from which it recruits.  The external market includes local, provincial and national public and private sector employers, including similar positions at other North American universities.

2.0       PURPOSE

2.1       The purpose of this policy is to establish the guidelines governing compensation for Executive Officers.

3.0       SCOPE

3.1       This policy applies to the Executive Officer positions as defined in this policy.

4.0       DEFINITIONS

4.1       Compensation

means salary and other forms of cash payments (including stipends and allowances), vacation, leaves with pay, employer-paid benefits, loans, vehicle use, car allowances, housing, tuition waivers, professional fees and any other benefit received by an Executive Officer from Simon Fraser University.

4.2       Executive Officer

            means the President and Vice-Chancellor, the Vice-Presidents, Associate Vice-Presidents, Deans, University Secretary and General Counsel.

5.0       POLICY

5.1       Relationship to Performance

5.1.1    Other than general salary increases, adjustments to compensation are based on clearly defined individual and organizational goals that are reviewed annually.

5.2       Compliance with Legal Obligations

5.2.1    Compensation policy and practices comply with the statutory obligations of the Employment Standards Act, the Human Rights Act, the Public Sector Employers Act and any other employment related legislation.

5.3       Compensation on Termination

5.3.1    There is no notice or pay in lieu of notice for termination from the University for cause. When an Executive Officer is required to discontinue his/her appointment for any reason other than cause and returns to his/her former position within the University, no notice or pay in lieu of notice is paid. Termination of employment from the University for reasons other than cause will be compensated consistent with the Public Sector Employers Act, the Employment Termination Standards Regulations and prevailing legal values for executive termination.

5.3.2    The maximum amount of notice upon termination without cause for Executive Officers (non-inclusive of vacation owed) is eighteen months as prescribed by the Employment Termination Standards regulation (B.C. Reg. 379/97).  Factors considered as part of the guideline include age, employability and length of service.  In addition, up to one year of out-placement counseling service is paid for by Simon Fraser University.  The President and Vice-Chancellor may approve arrangements for the orderly transition of benefit coverage on an individual case-by-case basis.  Where there is a Board-approved contract addressing termination arrangements with an Executive Officer, the contract provisions will apply.

5.4       Conflict of Interest

5.4.1    Consistent with Policy GP 37 Conflict of Interest, compensation decisions are made free of conflict of interest.

5.5       Full Disclosure

5.5.1    Simon Fraser University makes regular and full public disclosure of the compensation of each Executive Officer.

5.6       Business Expenses

5.6.1    Business expenses are governed by the Administrative policy for travel and business expenses (AD 3.02 Travel and Business Expenses).

6.0       ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

6.1       Approval of Compensation for Executive Officers

6.1.1    Compensation for Executive Officers is based on the preceding guidelines and is recommended for approval by the President and Vice Chancellor to the Executive and Compensation Committee of the Board of Governors.  Final approval rests with the Board of Governors.

7.0       RELATED LEGAL, POLICY AUTHORITIES AND AGREEMENTS

7.1       The legal and other University policy authorities and agreements that may bear on the administration of this policy and may be consulted as needed include but are not limited to:

7.1.1    University Act;

7.1.2    Employment Standards Act;

7.1.3    Human Rights Act;

7.1.4    Public Sector Employers Act;

7.1.5    Employment Termination Standards Regulations;

7.1.6    Conflict of Interest (GP 37);

7.1.7    Travel and Business Expenses (AD 3.02); and

7.1.8    Executive Officer employment contracts.

8.0       POLICY REVIEW

8.1       This policy will be reviewed at least every three years.

9.0       AUTHORITY

9.1       This policy is administered under the authority of the President and Vice Chancellor.

10.0     INTERPRETATION

10.1     Questions of interpretation or application of this policy or its procedures shall be referred to the President and the Chair of the Board of Governors, who will jointly make a decision, which shall be final.

11.0     ASSOCIATED PROCEDURES

11.1     The procedure for this policy is:

11.1.1  Performance Reviews and Salary Advancement for Executive Officers.

SFU is committed to transparency in its compensation planning, reporting and philosophy. Visit Compensation Corner on the People Strategies website to find reports such as Executive Compensation, Pay Transparency and other Salary Scales and Schedules.