Additional compensation for academic faculty must be in accordance with the UMass Board of Trustees Policy on Additional Faculty Compensation which can be found on the UMass President's Office website.

Please see instructions below to help streamline the process for faculty to receive additional compensation.

Faculty with full-time (9-month) appointments are expected to serve the University through a mixture of teaching, research, scholarship or creative activity, outreach and professional service, and University service, consistent with the mission of the campus, school or college, and unit in which they are appointed. The obligation of full-time faculty should be based on the optimal use of individual and collective effort to fulfill the mission of the department and campus, regardless of the nature or source of revenue for these activities.

The responsibilities of full-time faculty increasingly encompass activities beyond the traditional expectations of teaching on campus, pursuing a research program, engaging in public service and serving on committees. The expansion of corporate and continuing education, distance learning, and multi-ventures, economic development activity and externally funded research throughout the University, require faculty, departments, and administrators to be flexible and creative in defining faculty responsibilities and allocation of effort in support of the University’s mission. To the extent possible, and in accordance with applicable collective bargaining agreements, the University should incorporate these activities into the standard workload of faculty. However, faculty may also receive additional compensation for such activities.

All members of the Faculty will generally fulfill their academic responsibilities during the fall and spring terms, from September 1 through May 31. The month of January is a part of the standard nine-month academic year during which academic faculty members carry on teaching, research, and other duties as part of their regular annual obligations without additional compensation.

Academic faculty at UMass Lowell on full-time appointments may receive additional compensation under the following circumstances and conditions:

  1. Any activities undertaken for additional compensation may not interfere with a faculty member’s satisfactory disposition of his or her regular assignments and responsibilities.
  2. Faculty may engage in as much extra activity for additional compensation as is consistent with maintaining a satisfactory disposition of their obligations to the University, as defined and monitored by the department chair and the dean of the school/college. It is the responsibility of the department chair and the dean to ensure that faculty are meeting their regular obligations to the institution in a satisfactory way.
  3. Additional compensation for federally-funded research must be consistent with federal rules and regulations and may only be requested for the months of June, July or August. Additional compensation from NSF-funded research is limited to two-ninths of the academic salary per calendar year. Additional compensation from other federally-funded research is encouraged not to exceed 2.5 months each summer.
  4. Faculty may receive additional compensation for privately funded research at rates approved by the Vice-Provost of Research.
  5. Rates of pay for teaching or related services (such as course development) are established by the unit sponsoring the programs with the approval of the Provost.
  6. No faculty member may accept additional duties or additional compensation that would bring him or her into conflict with Chapter 268A of the Massachusetts General Laws (ethics statute).
  7. A faculty member may earn up to 33 percent of his or her base annual academic salary from additional compensation in a given calendar year.
  8. The prior approval of the faculty member’s chair, dean and the Provost is required to receive additional compensation in excess of 33 percent of his or her base annual academic salary (excess of 33 percent allowed from non-federal funds only).
  9. The Additional Compensation Form for Faculty must be signed by the faculty member’s department chair and dean. The signature of the person responsible for the funds is also required, if different than the faculty member seeking compensation.
  10. Payment of additional compensation cannot be processed prior to the completion of the activity.

Instructions to Process Grant Compensation

The steps below will make it easier for you when filling out the forms to receive additional faculty compensation.
  1. Request a salary request form from payroll. You will receive this back generally within 24 - 48 hours.
  2. Create an account in DocuSign. Send an email to help@uml.edu. While this is not required, we strongly recommend it because you’ll be able to track all your forms.
  3. Review the Frequently Asked Questions for more details.
  4. Log into your DocuSign to initiate the form to request compensation. If you do not have a DocuSign account, please initiate through one of the links below.
    • Principal Investigators: Use the PI DocuSign form if you are the PI and paying yourself.
    • Employees: Use the employee DocuSign form if the PI is different from employee getting paid and/or if someone is initiating on your behalf.