Pay for faculty could see increase
Salary plan proposes 3 percent raise for academic staff
Matthew Werlein
Issue date: 2/15/06 Section: Campus News
The University Senate met Tuesday to discuss the UW-Eau Claire faculty and academic staff comprehensive salary plan for 2006-2007, and voted to send the measure to Interim Chancellor Vicki Lord Larson to sign into effect.
Acting Chair of University Senate, Andrea Gapko, said the Senate forwarded it to the Interim Chancellor without any changes to the legislation.
She said if the proposal is approved by the Interim Chancellor, 2 percent pay increases for academic staff would take effect July 1 and an additional 1 percent would be added on April 1, 2007.
"The total compound interest between July 1 and April 1 comes out to be 3.02 percent at the end of the year," Gapko said.
She said there also are considerations outside of the pay increase that have to be addressed before the individual is given a raise.
"There is a 3 percent raise for the academic staff, with 2 percent on solid performance, and, if they meet the criteria of merit, an additional $400," Gapko said.
University faculty are professors and instructors at Eau Claire, while academic staff include lecturers.
The pay increase would be dealt with differently for university faculty, Gapko said.
She said they will receive 2 percent on solid performance, but the merit increase would be decided on by the individual departments themselves.
Associate professor in art and design Bobby Pitts voiced some concern over the issue and said the raises need to be more dramatically raised.
"Our annual raises are so far below, not only our peers, but below what it costs to live in Eau Claire," he said.
Pitts also pointed out that every time the university hires a new Chancellor, there is a readjustment to the salaries of the faculty.
"Think about how important it is to have promotion increases and that they are significant enough to offset the lack of annual raise," he said.
Professor Janice Bogstad also voiced some concerns.
She said she wanted to make sure everything was clarified with the compression rates.
The money for the salary increases will come from state university funds.
The next University Senate meeting will take place at 3 p.m. on Feb. 28 in the Tamarack Room of Davies Center.
Acting Chair of University Senate, Andrea Gapko, said the Senate forwarded it to the Interim Chancellor without any changes to the legislation.
She said if the proposal is approved by the Interim Chancellor, 2 percent pay increases for academic staff would take effect July 1 and an additional 1 percent would be added on April 1, 2007.
"The total compound interest between July 1 and April 1 comes out to be 3.02 percent at the end of the year," Gapko said.
She said there also are considerations outside of the pay increase that have to be addressed before the individual is given a raise.
"There is a 3 percent raise for the academic staff, with 2 percent on solid performance, and, if they meet the criteria of merit, an additional $400," Gapko said.
University faculty are professors and instructors at Eau Claire, while academic staff include lecturers.
The pay increase would be dealt with differently for university faculty, Gapko said.
She said they will receive 2 percent on solid performance, but the merit increase would be decided on by the individual departments themselves.
Associate professor in art and design Bobby Pitts voiced some concern over the issue and said the raises need to be more dramatically raised.
"Our annual raises are so far below, not only our peers, but below what it costs to live in Eau Claire," he said.
Pitts also pointed out that every time the university hires a new Chancellor, there is a readjustment to the salaries of the faculty.
"Think about how important it is to have promotion increases and that they are significant enough to offset the lack of annual raise," he said.
Professor Janice Bogstad also voiced some concerns.
She said she wanted to make sure everything was clarified with the compression rates.
The money for the salary increases will come from state university funds.
The next University Senate meeting will take place at 3 p.m. on Feb. 28 in the Tamarack Room of Davies Center.