President V. Lane Rawlins’ proposal for a 2 percent salary increase for faculty, administrative professional employees and graduate assistants was formalized by the Budget Council earlier this week and is scheduled for implementation on Jan. 1, 2004.
“We have said consistently that improving salaries is our top priority, and we are very pleased to be able to provide a salary increase to many of our employees,” said Rawlins. “The hard work and excellent efforts of our faculty and staff are what make WSU a great university. I only wish that we could include classified staff in this process, but it is against state laws and regulation.”
All faculty and administrative professional employees appointed on or before April 30, 2003 (and who are still on appointment as of Sept. 30, 2003) will be eligible for a pay increase. Rules also state that people working under grants, contracts and other temporary funding, as well as temporary faculty and administrative professionals, are eligible.
Increases for faculty will be distributed based on merit and other criteria as provided for in the Faculty Manual and will average 2 percent. Increases for AP employees will also average 2 percent and be based on merit. A small percentage of faculty and AP employees will also receive retention increases on Jan.1.
Graduate assistants will receive a 2 percent across-the-board increase.
Classified staff who have not reached the top of their pay range will continue to receive periodic incremental pay increases on their anniversary dates, based on state regulations.
Frequently asked questions and answers about the salary increase are currently available online at http://www.budget.wsu.edu (look for the link title “Salary Increase Q&As”). A few of the issues addressed include:
* retired and rehired employees
* graduate assistants, teaching assistants and research assistants
* how the money will be allocated
* stipends and salary differentials
* funding for vacant positions
* nonstate funded positions
* faculty promotions
* urban campus personnel
“The money for the 2 percent increase is the result of growth in nonstate revenues and the administration’s commitment to paying competitive salaries as identified in the strategic plan,” said Karl Boehmke, executive budget director. “Funding for the recruitment and retention pool came from the state.”
