Oct. 30, 2024

Dear URI Faculty and Staff,

In May, we shared information regarding the launch of Compass Comp, a comprehensive study of the University of Rhode Island’s classification and compensation system for non-classified employees.

This project builds on URI’s commitment to foster an inclusive, people-centered culture and supports our efforts to attract, retain, and grow outstanding staff and faculty. At the completion of the study, we will have developed a cohesive compensation philosophy, formal job architecture and career pathing, new job profiles more clearly connected to the competitive market, and policies and processes that are more equitable and transparent.

As previously shared, the project is centered around non-classified staff positions. Classified civil service staff positions, which are managed by the State of Rhode Island, as well as faculty and graduate assistant positions are not included within the scope of the project. The state recently announced that it has engaged with Ernst and Young to conduct a system-wide classification study for state civil service (classified) jobs. We look forward to engaging with them on this important effort.

Many of you have asked about our progress on this effort, and I am happy to share an update.

Over the past several months, the Compass Comp project team has made significant progress in developing new job profiles and organizing them within a new job classification architecture. To do this preliminary work, the team has engaged with a significant number of campus leaders and stakeholders to ensure they accurately reflect current work at URI. Next steps will include further refinement of job families and profiles, development of a compensation philosophy, and completion of a market analysis to better understand how URI compares to other organizations.

As we shared when we launched this important work, implementing the recommendations of this study will be a multi-year effort. We will continue to work closely with all relevant unions and University stakeholders as we review and address recommendations from the study. And we will prioritize sharing regular updates with our community.

New information will be posted to the Compass Comp website, including a section for frequently asked questions, which you can access at uri.edu/hr/non-classified-classification-and-compensation-study/. If you have questions throughout this process, please feel free to contact Laura Kenerson at lkenerson@uri.edu or 401-874-5271.

I also am pleased to share that URI’s inaugural vice president for human resources, Becky Hill, officially begins her new role this week. I look forward to her leadership contributions on this project and will remain an engaged partner as we consider the financial aspects of addressing the study’s recommendations. 

Thank you,

Abby Benson
Vice President for Administration and Finance