President V. Lane Rawlins told faculty and staff at Washington State University on Sept. 16 that he is proposing an average 2 percent salary increase for faculty, administrative/professional employees and graduate student employees effective Jan. 1, 2004. In addition, he announced that the university will institute a benchmarking/measurement system allowing WSU to gauge its progress in attaining strategic goals. Rawlins’ comments were part of his annual State of the University Address given in Bryan Hall Theatre.
The salary increases, Rawlins said, were identified as a high priority in the strategic plan. While the state failed to provide for a general salary increase, the university is finding ways to move funding into salaries. This will be the first general salary increase for faculty and administrative personnel in more than two years.
Rawlins said he wanted to provide salary increases for classified staff as well, but state regulations do not allow it.
According to Karl Boehmke, executive budget director, the state Department of Personnel establishes salary levels for classified staff positions and WSU has no authority to override that program. However, all classified staff who have not hit the top of their pay range will continue to receive their incremental raises based upon longevity.
The planned increase, said Boehmke, will average 2 percent — meaning some people may receive more or less than 2 percent. All faculty increases are governed by an established set of distribution rules, based on professional development, merit, extraordinary merit, the market place and equity. AP increases are based on merit.
Rawlins noted that the Legislature also provided $1.9 million for retention increases, designed to help the university keep select individuals who it is in danger of losing to other employers. This represents about 1 percent of the salary base, but will only affect a small number of employees.
Benchmarking
The new benchmarking and measurement system will be applied to nine strategic areas, beginning this fall, including:
• Enrollment numbers and distribution
• Student quality
• Diversity of faculty, staff and students
• Faculty/staff compensation
• Financial stability and support, especially expenditures per student
• Graduate programs
• Research success
• Private giving
• Athletics
These categories were selected based upon the fact that they are readily measurable and will help the university in achieving the “core four” objectives of its strategic plan:
1. Offer the best undergraduate experience in a research university.
2. Nurture a world-class environment for research, scholarship, graduate education, the arts, and engagement.
3. Create an environment of trust and respect in all we do.
4. Develop a culture of shared commitment to quality in all of our activities.
“We are not where we want to be on any of these measures” as we aim to be among the best universities in the country, said Rawlins. “But, we are making strong and measurable progress.”
Boehmke said that all reactions to the benchmarking proposal have been “very positive.”
“People use this data to compare their progress internally with other departments and colleges and externally with other high-quality institutions, said Jim Roche, director of Institutional Research. Roche’s staff will assist in gathering data internally and in regard to peer institutions.
The next step, Boehmke said is determining “what the measurable goals should be, in light of what we want to be as a university. For example, in regards to enrollment, we’re not looking for the maximum number of students possible; instead, we want to see controlled growth that ensures maximum educational quality.”
Those goals will be set by a number of people university-wide, including the President’s Cabinet, the Strategic Plan Implementation Council and Teams, and numerous other leaders and faculty members.
It could be much worse
Here are a few other highlights from Rawlins’ speech.
The president began by reassuring people that “for the most part, we have control of where we will go and what we will do and our ability to succeed in reaching our goals depends mostly on our resolve, ingenuity and hard work.”
Overall, the university’s legislative operating budget is down this year by about $10.3 million.
“While the picture could be better, it is far less bleak, frankly, than I had feared,” he said.
WSU’s “budgetary problems pale in comparison” to those in many states, including California, Oregon and Idaho.
By taking 3 percent budget cuts early in July we were able to balance our budget for the biennium. We are now holding budget hearings to look at the long-term plans in each of our areas and consider the long-term budget reallocation implications of those plans. During these hearings, administrators “will make plans to move resources to assure that our allocations better match our strategic goals and objectives,” he said. The university “must have a continual process of assessing priorities and reallocating resources whether the budget is shrinking or growing.”
The “really good news,” he said, is that following these initial cuts, the budget will grow over the rest of the biennium for the following reasons:
• Enrollment growth will provide additional tuition revenue.
• The state’s biennial reduction was loaded in the first year, so the tuition increase in the second year will create revenue growth.
• Grants and contracts exceed budget projections, so there is some additional revenue.
• Strategic reductions in nonacademic operations are generating savings.
Steady increases
When looking at how WSU has fared over the past few years, he pointed to numerous indicators:
• In spite of state appropriation reductions, WSU’s overall expenditure budget has increased every year since 1980. In addition, state funding plus tuition has increased every year but one.
• The number of employees has grown every year since 1994-95.
• Operating funding from nonstate sources has increased substantially.
• Although we have had to make some budget reductions, we have also been able to build back to meet our priorities.
Top 10 accomplishments
Rawlins also listed what he felt were the top 10 accomplishments of 2002-03.
10. The completion of the shock physics building, getting funding for the first bio-tech building, and making progress towards federal funding for a research building on our campus.
9. The performance of our athletic department, including increases in graduation rates and grade point averages, a surplus budget, post-season play in many sports—including an All American in women’s golf, an elite eight appearance in volleyball, and going to the Rose Bowl.
8. The success and progress of the WSU Foundation, with the second highest fund raising year in our history.
7. The growth of urban campuses and the move to a WSU statewide system.
6. Successful responses by staff in dealing with a number of serious issues, including the “Top of China” incident, several major utilities crises, incredible challenges to our information systems and record numbers of students needing counseling, recreation and services.
5. The largest graduating class in the history of the university.
4. Improving WSU’s image throughout the region.
3. The best academically qualified freshman class in history.
2. Recognition and performance of our world class faculty in advancing our funded research by 13 percent and attaining many important awards and recognition.
1. Recognition of WSU as one of the top 50 public research universities in the United States.
Rawlins speech can be viewed via videostreaming at http://www.wsu.edu/president/communications.html.communications.html.
