Faculty Recruitment Allowance Program - New Updates

• UC San Diego Appointment Eligibility Requirements
  • Same Appointments as MOP for General Campus Professorial (LRF) and Teaching Professor series
    • FRAP is usually stated in the proposal/offer letter with the Dean's approval.
    • The Dean must approve FRAPs for the Teaching Professor series before added it to the proposal/offer letter. 
  • Health Sciences Faculty participation is by invitation only. Please contact Jacqueline Corbeil for information.
    
• $73,600 campus limit (effective 7/1/2020 - check the AP Faculty Salary Scale for updates in July
• It is important departments convey withholdings and taxes will impact the FRA payment to faculty.
• Faculty can additionally contact the campus Payroll Office with specific withholdings and taxes questions.
• With your Dean's approval and Department Chair's approval, you may allow faculty to receive up to the current FRA amount if it increased since they received their offer and they have funds to cover the amount.
• Eligibility Period
  • According to the governing policy, APM 190, faculty recruitment allowances are to be disbursed within the first two (2) years of the appointment start date
    • Faculty Start Date of July 1st: FRA eligibility period expires June 30th
    • Faculty Start Date of January 1st: FRA eligibility ends December 31st

• The program is governed by campus policies and Academic Personnel Manual (APM) Policy 190.

Please consult with your Dean's Office for FRA language in proposal/resource letters and confirm the amount of the FRA for each incoming faculty member. The FRA program is governed by campus policies and Academic Personnel Manual (APM) Policy 190). The amount of the FRA is usually stated in the proposal/resource letter.

Draft language - Dean's Offices will have more details

The Basic Language:

A Faculty Recruitment Allowance (FRA) in the amount of XXXX will be provided to you. The primary purpose of the FRA is to provide support for housing costs in the San Diego area but faculty may also use the allowance to support childcare expenses, education or tuition assistance. 

The FRA may be disbursed in a single payment, or may be paid out over a period not to exceed ten years. The disbursement should begin within two years of your initial appointment, although exceptions may be requested.

The Faculty Recruitment Allowance is considered as taxable income for Federal and State purposes. The allowance is not considered as covered compensation for the University’s retirement or employee benefit plans.

If it is subject to repayment (most Divisions do but not all) add:

Please be aware that if you leave UC San Diego employment within five years from the effective date of this appointment, the housing allowance is subject to repayment.

Optional, for extra clarity on tax implications

Faculty recruitment allowances are considered taxable income. Payments are made via the payroll system and will be taxed at the applicable rates indicated by the appointee's W-4 form and may be impacted by retirement withholdings if you participate in those programs. Faculty recruitment allowances are not considered covered compensation for purposes of the University's retirement or employee benefit plans.  Once the payment is made, it cannot be cancelled and reissued. Faculty are encouraged to contact the business office in their home department with policy and payment questions and to contact the campus Payroll Office for questions on withholdings and taxes.

• Campus Level Exceptions requiring EVC Approval in additional to Chair and Dean approvals 
  • FRA time limit extensions - please submit requests one-month before the initial eligibility period ends
    • Departments can email a request to the EVC - Academic Affairs via their Dean's Office, the Dean's Office can endorse and forward FRA requests via email to Karen Stecher.

• Campus Level Exceptions requiring EVC Approval
  
  • FRA amount exceptions above $73,600 and up to $100,000 
    • The FRA amount exception requires written justification from the Dean addressed to the EVC - Academic Affairs and must be routed to Karen Stecher. Justification is usually due to the high cost of housing in San Diego county and or the high cost of education/tuition and or childcare expenses.  
  • FRA amount exception over $100,000 and up to $150,000
    • Contact Karen Stecher for further information.              
• Please use the subject line: FRA and the Topic when requesting Exceptions

How to process the FRA payment

• Deans Offices will develop procedures for processing FRAs.
• Mary Baran (mbaran@ucsd.edu) in the Academic Personnel Office can answer PPS and future UCPath payment questions. Her direct line is 858-822-3748.
  
  

• Repeating the Memo Stated Above - Please note - FRAP Process Changes - Excerpt - Academic Personnel Email March 26, 2020

  Deans Offices will now authorize Faculty Recruitment Allowance Payments (FRAP).  There is no backup needed as long as the faculty member states they will use the funds for housing costs, child care or education/tuition expenses.  The authority to approve offering a FRAP hasn't changed, just the payment process.  Departments and or deans will be informing their faculty of these FRAP changes.

  FRAPs will NOT be paid prior to the hire date under any circumstances.  While we had some flexibility with PPS, there is no ability to issue FRAPs prior to the hire date in UCPath.  This is a system limitation and there are no workarounds. Make sure you advise your incoming faculty appropriately.

  Also, it is important to remember that processing a Hire in UCPath requires more time due to approval routing to the UCPC.  In addition, requesting an off-cycle check for a FRAP will add a few more days to the process.  Off-cycle requests, which must be specifically requested, for FRAP have only been authorized by UCPC in circumstances where a (faculty member) needs the funds immediately for housing.  Other FRAP payments will be issued on the employee’s next regular check according to pay processing schedules.