Stanford recently announced a staff salary program to be implemented this September to reinstate merit-based pay raises after a salary freeze last year during the economic downturn.

The program’s policies are similar to policies that existed before the financial downturn and are intended to encourage high performance among staff.

The program comes after freezes and personnel cuts hit campus last year in the wake of University budget strains.

“In 2010, staff members did a remarkable job handling the challenges presented by our campus-wide budget reductions, which included a salary freeze, staff reductions and other extraordinary measures,” said Diane Peck, the vice president of human resources, in a statement to the Stanford Report. “It is important that the University be able to recognize these many employee contributions, even in financially challenging times.”

Departments will begin proposing salary increases for their staff immediately, with varying deadlines. The pay increases will be effective fiscal year 2011.

— Julia Brownell