Inside Iowa State

May 14, 2009

New P&S pay grades on hold

by Erin Rosacker

Implementation of a new compensation structure for professional and scientific employees -- slated to begin July 1 -- has been postponed. Executive vice president and provost Elizabeth Hoffman made the announcement at the P&S Council's May 7 meeting.

P&S president Lynne Mumm, who was unable to attend the meeting, sent an e-mail to council members in support of the delay. She said one of the problems was an estimated 80-100 P&S employees who have salaries beyond the maximum defined in the new structure.

Hoffman said she made the recommendation after top administrators asked for more time to examine how positions were distributed in the new structure, which was developed from an external study's recommendation.

"This was a recommendation I made to the president because there were just too many questions being asked, particularly by the vice presidents who were unhappy with some of the individual slotting," Hoffman said. "Since we weren't going to be able to give more than a handful of people any raises anyway, this is probably the best year to delay."

Hoffman set an implementation deadline for no later than the beginning of fiscal year 2011 (July 1, 2010).

Stimulating ISU Extension

Hoffman said priorities for use of stimulus funds is (in order of importance):

• Save jobs as long as possible, ease transitions during reorganization
• Restore lecturer positions to keep classes available to students
• Upgrades (such as classrooms, infrastructure and information technology)

Hoffman said a "significant amount" of stimulus money is being set aside to help employees affected by ISU Extension's reorganization. She said unfilled vacancies, retirements and new county-funded positions also will help.

"Our hope in the end is that we minimize the number of people who actually have to lose their jobs," Hoffman said. "Stimulus funds will help ease that and help people financially make that transition."

Other business

Three items earned approval with little discussion or opposition, including:

• The protection of children in the workplace policy (vote of 36-1-0)
• The export controls policy (32-2-2)
• A plan to restructure the P&S Handbook (34-2-0)

Council members will vote on a motion endorsing a proposed P&S dispute resolution policy at next month's meeting. The policy, which is available online, is open for campus input in the policy library through June 12.

Executive vice president and provost Elizabeth Hoffman told P&S Council that plans for a July 1 implementation of the new salary structure have been put on hold. Hoffman also shared the administration's top priorities for federal stimulus funds.