Faculty Hiring Resources

Hiring New Faculty

Processing Reimbursements for Departmental Recruiting Costs

When a department interviews candidates for a faculty position, the Provost's Office may reimburse a department up to $1,500 per position to cover a portion of the costs incurred (e.g., travel, lodging, meals).

To request recruitment costs be reimbursed, please fill out the Google Form at https://forms.gle/8faAaeqFo6mUJoxt7.

Faculty Relocation Assistance Guidelines

The following provides guidelines for relocation assistance to new academic employees:

  1. SUU may negotiate a relocation assistance incentive for eligible moving expenses to prospective academic employees when the hiring department believes such an offer is a critical factor in securing a highly qualified applicant for a faculty or administrative position. In determining an appropriate incentive, the department should consider factors such as unusual qualifications and/or needs of the applicant, competitiveness of the applicable job market, budget available, and estimated relocation costs.
  2. Prior to offering a position to a new administrative or faculty employee, the hiring dean must contact the Provost's Office to request relocation assistance for a new academic employee. If the Provost's Office confirms that funding is available, the hiring dean will negotiate with the new employee and determine an agreeable relocation assistance/incentive plan in writing prior to the time the move takes place. This negotiation must include informing the employee that relocation assistance/incentive payment is considered compensation and must be taxed. Any approved relocation assistance should be indicated on the new employee's recommendation for appointment/contract.
  3. The hiring dean is responsible for covering the base amount of the reimbursement (initial 1/3 of payment up to $1,000) and any amount that exceeds the $3,000 maximum, including applicable employment taxes. The relocation incentive/reimbursement must be made using the electronic requisition form on the Provost's Office website. The electronic requisition process should be initiated at the department or dean level, and the electronic requisition must include written or electronically certified signatures. A copy of the employee's contract or recommendation for appointment, indicating the approval of FREL funds, must be included as part of the requisition documents. The requisition should then be submitted to the Provost's Office and must be signed by the Provost and submitted Payroll. If applicable, the check requisition must be clearly marked as an ADVANCE payment and the employee should be notified of tax withholding as part of the negotiated reimbursement plan.
  4. Reimbursement for moving expenses is not to be made through the direct pay or expenditure transfer systems, or by an adjustment to salary of the employee for time before they actually begin employment with the University.
  5. Relocation assistance payments may be provided to the employee by the University for eligible items such as:
    • The cost of moving ordinary and customary personal and household goods, including insurance provided by the moving firm for packing, shipping, and insuring.
    • Mileage allowance for the employee and/or family to move to the new location.
    • The cost of lodging and food for the employee and immediate family during the relocation trip.
    • The costs associated with a trip to locate new housing.
  6. Some expenses are not eligible for reimbursement. These include vehicle maintenance,  rent payments, housing applications, property management costs, background checks, costs associated with terminating a previous rental agreement, the purchase of appliances or furniture, the cost of food after an employee has relocated, and other expenses not directly related to moving as determined by the University.
  7. Eligible employees may submit a single request for Faculty Relocation Assistance expenses. These expenses, along with itemized receipts, must be submitted and processed in the fiscal year the employee was hired.
  8. The amount of incentive/reimbursement will meet the following parameters:
    • The college/school will cover the base reimbursement (initial 1/3 of payment up to $1,000)
      • Please note, because the payment is processed through payroll, the college/school and Provost's Office will both pay taxes on their portions of the reimbursement incentive.
      • The index that the college/school will use for their portion of the incentive should be notated clearly on the check requisition.
    • If approved by the Provost's Office, supplementing the base reimbursement may be a distance factor covered by the Provost's Office after the first 1/3 of the incentive/reimbursement is paid by the college/school. The typical supplement from the Provost's Office for faculty is up to $2,000. Individual circumstances may be considered in the supplemental decision.
    • The maximum incentive/reimbursement will be a total of $3,000 (minus taxes) for faculty and $6,000 (minus taxes) for academic administrators (e.g., department chairs, academic directors, deans, etc.) The college/school must provide the first 1/3 of each incentive, and any additional amounts above the total of $3,000. Because relocation incentives/reimbursements are taxable, the actual amount the faculty member receives will be less than $3,000 or $6,000, respectively.

See also the notice from Accounting Services regarding the change to taxation effective 2019. Please direct any questions about how taxes are processed for this incentive to Payroll in Accounting Services. 

Forms

Contact

Provost's Office