Faculty Rights Tip: Range Elevation for Lecturer Faculty – It Pays to Apply!

In our 2022-24 Collective Bargaining Agreement, CFA secured three consecutive years of range elevation. With our new contract, we expanded eligibility to many more instructional lecturers and librarian faculty on contingent contracts with at least six years of full-time adjusted service.

But what is “range elevation?”

Range elevation is the formal process through which lecturers and temporary (or, contingent) librarians can increase their salary by moving from one salary range to the next (e.g., Range A to B, B to C, or C to D). If granted, a range elevation brings a salary increase of at least 5 percent, or the percentage increase required to reach at least the minimum of the next range, whichever is greater.

Without regular steps or raises within ranges, lecturers and other temporary faculty find themselves employed for long periods without ever maxing out in their current ranges. (Maxing out in range is a requirement under “normal” range elevation.)

There is a success rate of over 90 percent for lecturers and temporary librarians who have applied for range elevation in the last few years. It pays to apply! 

However, range elevation is not automatic. If you are eligible, you need to apply. Your campus administration is required to notify you, if you are eligible to apply, at least 30 days prior to the application deadline. The deadlines vary by campus, and you can find campus range elevation policies here.

If your application is denied, you may appeal to a campus peer review panel. Most lecturers who have appealed have been successful. Those who are denied are permitted to apply again in subsequent years. For questions about your years of service, time base, and salary, contact the campus payroll office.

Many campus CFA chapters offer range elevation workshops, so watch for these. The CFA workshops offer practical advice on preparing a successful application for range elevation. There is also more information available on CFA’s Range Elevation resources page.

Want to learn more? Become active with your local CFA chapter Faculty Rights team. Find your representative here.

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