Use of External Funds to Pay Salary
University of Mary Washington will not accept external funding which would require faculty effort exceeding a regular full-time load and would increase an employee’s total compensation for the academic year beyond the agreed upon full time salary. In no case will federal and private funds be used to pay an employee more than 100% of his or her regular academic year compensation. Summer school is not considered part of the regular academic year.
While specific terms may vary in some cases, most funding entities do not award funds to augment the total salary or salary rate of faculty members during the period covered by the term of faculty appointment or to reimburse faculty members for consulting or other time in addition to a regular full-time organizational salary covering the same general period of employment. For example, the National Science Foundation (NSF) state’s their policy this way (NSF Grant Proposal Guide): “NSF regards research as one of the normal functions of faculty members at institutions of higher education. Compensation for time normally spent on research within the term of appointment is deemed to be included within the faculty member’s regular organizational salary.”
In some cases, the NSF (or other granting agencies) may approve exceptions (such as for weekend and evening classes or work at remote locations). Any intent to provide salary compensation above the base salary would have to be disclosed in the proposal budget, justified in the budget justification, and must be specifically approved by the granting agency.