Dear Faculty and Staff:

You make UCF an incredible institution with amazing potential. I am honored to work alongside you because of the compassion you show for your colleagues, the genuine interest you take in the success of our students, and how far you go out of your way to make a difference in our community. All UCF has accomplished, and all it will accomplish, is because of our incredible people.

Investing in Our People

Earlier this year, we created the President’s Strategic Investment Programwith contributions from the colleges and administrative units to invest in our academic excellence and support our vision to become the world’s leading public metropolitan research university. Central to achieving that vision is investing in our people, which is why we have allocated over half of the program’s funds to provide wage increases for our employees.

All eligible faculty and A&P and USPS staff who are not represented by labor unions and who have an annual salary of more than $48,500 will receive a 2.5% salary increase, and those with an annual salary of $48,500 or less will receive a 3.5% salary increase, effective October 15, 2021. You can expect to see these increases on your November 5 paychecks. Please visit the Human Resources website for additional information, including eligibility requirements.

Salary increases for all in-unit employees, or those represented by a union, must be collectively bargained. This salary program is separate from the ongoing assessment of the classification and compensation project. Updates will be shared as soon as they are available.

Winter Holidays

The added challenges of this year have weighed heavily on many of us. To help ensure you have time to celebrate, recharge, and connect with family and friends, we are happy to announce that UCF will observe an extended winter break.

I have approved eight paid days off in December in addition to the state holidays on December 25 and January 1. The university will be closed for official business starting Monday, December 20, through Friday, December 31. Eligible employees will be paid for those days. Please talk with your supervisor for more details about how these paid days off apply to you.

UCF’s first president, Charles N. Millican, once said, “If we would reach the stars, we must first reference to true north.” As we continue to navigate into the next chapter for UCF, we will strive to keep our compass set to north, maintaining the culture of compassion that makes our university so special.

On behalf of the university’s leadership team, our students and our community — thank you.

With Gratitude,

Alexander N. Cartwright
UCF President