Compensation Goals

Southern Methodist University seeks to meet the following compensation goals:

• To pay salary and benefits which allow Southern Methodist University to attract and retain highly qualified employees.  

• To be competitive with appropriate labor markets.

• To reward meritorious performance by focusing salary increases on individual achievement and contribution.

• To pay equal pay for equal work. To develop consistency in salaries paid persons performing equal work for jobs which require equal skill, effort, and responsibility.

• To operate within the budget established by the University for standard compensation.

• To communicate effectively to enhance understanding between employees and their supervisors about the key elements of the total compensation program, including the pay plan, performance reviews, benefit programs, and the classification system.

• To comply with appropriate federal and state laws.

While managers and employees throughout the University have responsibility for the above noted goals, the Department of Human Resources oversees the administrative aspects of the program. Within the Department of Human Resources there is a full-time compensation specialist who directs all aspects of the program, including the following: participating in salary surveys, reviewing requests for position classifications, updating and creating job descriptions, and communicating policies.