K-State Compensation Study: Phase I Implementation Timeline and Updates

Kansas State University announced an updated timeline for Phase I of its ongoing Compensation Study, detailing upcoming disclosures for faculty pay structures and staff career architecture, K-State Today reported. The multi-week rollout schedules webinars, supervisor training, and individual outcome notifications stretching from early November through a projected Dec. 31 paycheck implementation date.

Establishing the Market-Aligned Pay Structure in November

Phase I implementation focuses specifically on standing up a new faculty pay structure alongside an updated staff architecture, implementing under-market adjustments based strictly on position alignment rather than individual performance factors. Data from an October 2025 workforce snapshot projects that 38% of faculty and 27% of staff will receive under-market adjustments during this initial phase, while remaining personnel are already aligned to their new market ranges. Chief Human Resources Officer Shanna Legleiter noted that positions missing an adjustment are simply already aligned to market parameters. On Nov. 4, K-State Today will publish access to view the newly structured faculty pay scale and updated staff framework, providing visibility into job organization and pay grades prior to individual notices.

Following the public architecture release, supervisors will participate in training sessions between Nov. 4 and 13 to prepare for employee inquiries. On Nov. 18, human resources managers in individual colleges and major units will distribute formal letters to all regular and term appointment faculty and Phase I staff positions. Every covered employee receives a notification memo detailing their specific job title, pay range, FLSA classification, and any planned adjustment to close under-market gaps. The university confirmed that market determinations will result in zero reductions in current pay.

Activating Systems and Working Groups for December Implementation

Technical implementation teams are actively configuring employment systems, specifically Human Resources Information Systems and ADP, ahead of the official system launch in early December. Behind the scenes, the newly launched Pay Administration Guidelines Implementation working group is drafting standards designed to sustain long-term market alignment and equitable pay practices across the institution. Concurrently, human resources leadership has met with Graduate Student Council leaders, academic deans, and representatives from the Graduate School and Office of the Provost. These discussions pave the way for a Graduate Student Compensation Implementation working group convening this month to raise the minimum stipend for Graduate Teaching Assistants and Graduate Research Assistants while establishing sustainable pay practices.

HR systems will officially incorporate the new structures in early December, targeting Dec. 31 for the first payroll reflecting the approved under-market adjustments.