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Extra Service Compensation

Approved by the President of the University March 21, 1988

This document is consistent with the revised policies for SUNY employees as described in the memorandum issued by the SUNY Provost on December 23, 1986. (Memorandum to Presidents Vol. 86 No. 14, Appendix A.) As stated in the Memorandum, these policies differ from previous policies by

  1. substantially removing the need for Central Administration approval;
  2. expanding the definition to allow extra service compensation for research and public service;
  3. permitting extra service compensation on the home campus for other than academic staff (administrators and other professionals); and
  4. restating and clarifying the earnings limitation of 20% per year. This policy may be viewed in context with Research Foundation, Albany, Informational Communique 165 Revised, dated March 17, 1987, on Personal Services.

I. Academic and Professional Staff

A. General Policies.

  1. Definition: Extra service for academic and professional staff of the State University of New York at Buffalo is work beyond that normally required by the professional obligation and is defined as follows:
    • Off campus extra service: Work performed in a payroll agency other than the payroll agency to which the employee is regularly assigned. (A campus is a payroll agency; an individual academic unit is not.)
    • On campus extra service: Work performed on the SUNY-Buffalo campus which is substantially different from or substantially in addition to an individual's professional responsibilities.
  2. This work may involve but is not limited to consulting, teaching, research and public service.
  3. This extra service must not interfere with the individual's regular professional responsibilities, and it may be during or after regular working hours.
  4. Such service must be clearly demonstrated to exceed that which is normally required under the regular obligations.
  5. Additional compensation for research and other activities must be consistent with all policies of the program sponsor.
  6. Compensation for extra service may not exceed an amount equal to 20% of base annual salary in any academic year beginning September 1 for academic year employees or in any calendar year beginning July 1 for calendar year employees. This limitation applies to both full-time and part-time employees. Extra service for part-time employees should be used only for short-term special activities clearly not associated with their regular duties. Special rules apply to summer employment for employees on academic year salaries. (See below section B.1.)
  7. Written approval for extra service must be obtained prior to the commencement of the service. Service performed in advance of such approval will not be compensated.
  8. These policies apply to individuals receiving compensation for extra services from any New York State agency, the Research Foundation, and the University at Buffalo Foundation when it is acting as agent for the Research Foundation in the administration of sponsored programs.

B. Specific policies and procedures

Authority for approval of individual requests for extra service compensation by academic and professional staff has been delegated by the Chancellor to the Chief Administrative Officer of the campus. Extra service for Management Confidential employees requires approval of the Chancellor or his designee.

  1. Summer employment
    • Payment for summer service to an employee with a calendar year appointment is extra service compensation and governed by the preceding policies.
    • Payment for summer service to a faculty member with an academic year appointment is not extra service but is governed by certain state policies. It is limited to one-ninth of the individual's annual salary per month, normally for up to two months of full-time service. Summer service and payment for such service may be extended for an additional month with prior approval of the Cognizant Dean. Such service may not interfere with the faculty member's academic year university obligations and duties, and payment must be consistent with any policies of the program sponsor. For teaching, all Appointment Authorization or Change of Status forms for summer session faculty are initiated by the Dean of Millard Fillmore College. For research projects, appointment documents (P forms) are initiated by the Project Director and approved by the Dean or Director. In both cases forms are forwarded directly to the appropriate Budget and Personnel Departments unless approval of the Provost is also required.
  2. Academic year extra service - Extra-service payments may be made only after approval of the individual's Chair, the Dean or Director, and the Provost or appropriate Vice-President. The Dean/Director is responsible for determining that the request is consistent with the general policies, in particular that this extra service does not interfere with the individual's regular professional responsibilities and that such service exceeds that which is normally performed under the employee's regular obligations.
  3. Consulting - The same principles apply as those covering federally-sponsored programs, described in Circular A-21 and any subsequent revision, specifically: "Since intra-university consulting is assumed to be undertaken as a university obligation requiring no compensation in addition to full-time base salary, the principle also applies to faculty members who function as consultants or otherwise contribute to a sponsored agreement conducted by another faculty member of the same institution. However, in unusual cases where consultation is across departmental lines or involves a separate or remote operation, and the work performed by the consultant is in addition to his regular departmental load, charges for such work representing extra compensation above the base salary are allowable provided that such consulting arrangements are specifically provided for in the agreement or approved in writing by the sponsoring agency." As used above, department refers to academic departments and organized research units.
  4. Routing - Requests should be made either on the Request for Prior Approval for Extra Service Compensation form or in a memo which describes the nature and purpose of the extra service, at the time of performance, the amount and rate of payment, the source of funds and a rationale for the payment rate. The memo must also provide the assurance that the extra service exceeds that normally expected of the employee and does not interfere with the individual's regular professional responsibilities. The request should originate with the Department Chair or unit head, have the approval of the Dean or Director and, where appropriate, have prior approval from the project director and the Office of Sponsored Programs before forwarding to the Provost or Vice President for final approval. After notification of approval and the performance of the Extra Service the appropriate Change of Status, Research Foundation, or UBF form should be sent, following regular procedures for such forms, to the Provost or Vice President. Extra service payments to Management Confidential employees also require advance approval from the Chancellor. Requests will be routed to the President accompanied by appropriate personnel form (currently Form UP-6).
  5. Teaching in Millard Fillmore College - When teaching in Millard Fillmore College is above-load and beyond regular professional responsibilities, extra service compensation policies apply. Millard Fillmore College teaching appointments must be approved by the appropriate Dean or Director before forwarding to the Dean of Millard Fillmore College.
  6. Special requirements when extra service compensation is derived from units other than SUNY-Buffalo
    • NYS agencies including other SUNY units - This is a request for employment at another State agency. Requests should be routed as in I.B.4. accompanied by appropriate personnel forms (currently UP-8, or UP-6 for Management Confidential employees) and require approval by the President.
    • Research Foundation, and the University at Buffalo Foundation when it is acting as agent for the Research Foundation in the administration of sponsored programs - Requests should be routed as in I.B.4. Information submitted to the Dean or Director must include the authorization of the Project Director and confirmation from the Office of Sponsored Programs that the proposed payments are consistent with the policy of the program sponsor.

II. Administrators

Persons with the titles of Provost, Vice President, Dean or Director are normally ineligible for extra-service compensation from any source of funds administered at SUNY-Buffalo. Exceptions may be approved by the President upon recommendation of the Provost or appropriate Vice President when such exceptions would clearly be in the best interests of the University. Extra Service payments to Management Confidential employees require the advance approval of the Chancellor as described in section I.B.4. In all cases the General policies described in section I.A. apply.


III. Review

The Provost and Vice Presidents will systematically review these policies to determine their effectiveness and appropriate use within two years from the date of promulgation.