Strong Hall on Kansas University's campus.

Faculty and staff at Kansas University are eligible for merit-based raises that will kick in on Jan. 1. The money for the raises comes from more than $5.2 million in funds collected from increased tuition.

KU officials said the raises were not designed to be an across-the-board increase, but will instead be used to retain top-performing faculty and staff.

KU Provost Jeff Vitter said the raises were an effort to keep “the very best employees” and recognize meritorious service to KU. He outlined the process in which the money was distributed.

The raises were available for faculty and staff, excepting university support staff, who received a separate negotiated raise package.

• Deans and vice provosts were allocated a pool of money equal to 1 percent of their total amount spent on salaries to be spent on employee raises. Gavin Young, a spokesman for the provost’s office, said that only employees who received a positive performance review were eligible for the raises.

• In addition, deans and vice provosts were allocated another pool of money equal to 0.25 percent of their total salary budget for employees who demonstrated special merit.

• A third pool of money, equal to 0.75 percent of total salaries, was made available for superior performance and was limited to no more than the top 25 percent of employees.

Young said the money in all three categories had some discretion for deans and vice provosts, so not all employees received the same percentage raise.

Most employees who are scheduled to receive raises have likely already been informed, Vitter said. The raises will begin for KU employees on Jan. 1.

The plan represents the first significant effort to raise faculty and staff salaries at KU since the 2009-10 academic year.