Iowa State University


Inside Iowa State
June 5, 1998

Pay hikes for faculty and staff expected to average 4 percent

by Diana Pounds

Pay hikes for Iowa State faculty and staff next fiscal year are expected to average approximately 4 percent.

President Martin Jischke said the state salary appropriation will enable Iowa State to "retain our current high level of quality faculty and staff and to successfully recruit new top-caliber employees."

He added, "To be able to retain and attract the finest faculty and staff in the world is essential to our mission and central to our goal of best land-grant status."

A state appropriation of nearly $9.9 million will fully fund increases averaging 4 percent for most faculty and staff, said Rab Mukerjea, assistant to the president for budget planning and analysis. However, the state funds do not cover salary and benefit increases corresponding to federal formula funds and reimbursed indirect costs. Additional internal reallocations of approximately $225,000 will compensate for unfunded pay increases within the Cooperative Extension Service, Agriculture and Home Economics Experi-ment Station and the general university.

Pay raises and salary policies are subject to final approval by the State Board of Regents. Supervisors will let faculty and staff know about their pay hikes following final approval of next year's budget by the regents at their July 14-15 meeting, Mukerjea said.

Faculty and P&S: Hikes above 1.33 percent for merit or equity

All allocated funds will be used only for pay increases for continuing faculty and professional and scientific staff. Administrators at each level are responsible for addressing equity or market issues and in doing so, may choose to allocate the funds differentially among units and staff, Mukerjea said.

According to salary guidelines, faculty and P&S staff who are meeting performance expectations will receive salary increases of at least 1.33 percent, or one-third of the average increase. Salary increases above the minimum will be awarded on the basis of merit, equity or market considerations.

University officials anticipate faculty increases will be comparable to salaries at peer universities. Preliminary information from six peer universities indicates that FY99 increases will range from 2.5 to 6.5 percent, with a likely average of approximately 4 percent, Mukerjea said.

The increase for faculty promoted to professor in FY99 will remain at the current level -- $2,200. Increases for promotion at the other two levels will rise slightly -- to $1,900 for associate professor and $1,600 for assistant professor.

The P&S pay matrix reflects a variety of increases at all pay grade levels. The minimum and maximum salary levels in the P&S pay matrix will be increased an average of 6.8 and 7.4 percent, respectively. The increases are consistent with market data and projections and will allow Iowa State to remain competitive in recruiting and retaining staff, Mukerjea said.

Merit employees: 3 percent July 1 plus step increases

Employees covered by the collective bargaining agreement will receive a 3 percent salary increase on July 1. Those who are eligible also will receive step increases during the year. The 3 percent initial pay hike and step increases will bring the merit employee salary increase to 4 percent. Supervisory merit employees will receive salary increases that are comparable to other merit employees.

Larger hikes allowed for information technology, computer positions

Due to fierce competition for information technology staff, higher-than-average pay hikes will be permitted for these P&S staff, Mukerjea said. Employees in information technology jobs may receive pay hikes of up to 10 percent or to the mid- point of their pay grades. Increases above the 4 percent average can be funded, to the extent necessary, by reallocation of funds within the affected units.

Graduate assistants

The FY99 monthly stipend for half-time graduate assistants ranges from $975 to $1,750. This represents a 2.6 percent increase in the minimum and a 2.9 percent increase in the maximum stipend level.

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