Pay Hikes Expected To Average Nearly 4 Percent


by Diana Pounds

Although final figures are not yet available, it appears that 
pay hikes for Iowa State faculty and staff will average 
nearly 4 percent next fiscal year.

Keeping faculty and staff salaries competitive was Iowa 
State's top priority in the budget planning process, 
President Martin Jischke said recently, and the pay hikes 
included in the preliminary budget should achieve that goal.

The FY96 budget will be considered by the State Board of 
Regents at the June meeting, with final approval expected in 
July.

State appropriations to the general fund are up $10 million, 
or 4.9 percent, next fiscal year, with most of the increase 
going for salary hikes.

"In today's world of higher education, that's a good 
increase," Jischke said.


FULLY FUNDED PAY HIKES

For the first time in several years, Iowa State will not have 
to dip into other funds to provide a portion of pay 
increases. "This is as close to a fully funded salary bill as 
I've seen," Jischke said of the legislative appropriation. 
"We will use every nickel of the salary appropriation for pay 
raises, but we won't allocate any additional funds beyond 
that."

Faculty and P&S pay hikes are expected to average just under 
4 percent. Merit hikes will average out to approximately 4 
percent as well. Merit employees will receive 3 percent pay 
hikes on July 1 and subsequent step increases for which they 
are eligible throughout the year.

Under proposed salary guidelines, faculty and P&S staff who 
are meeting performance expectations will receive raises of 
at least one-third the average pay increase, or  
approximately 1.3 percent. Larger raises will be based on 
individual merit, equity or market considerations.

Promotion increases for faculty will remain the same as in 
recent years -- $2,000 for professor, $1,700 for associate 
professor and $1,400 for assistant professor.

Recently completed studies show that current ISU faculty 
salary averages are about 101 percent of the averages of Iowa 
State's peer universities and that P&S salaries are 
approximately 98 percent of salaries in comparable positions 
nationally and regionally. 


$5.1 MILLION FOR STRATEGIC PLANNING INITIATIVES

For the second straight year, $5.1 million in new and 
reallocated funds will be directed toward strategic planning 
initiatives.

Iowa State will begin the new fiscal year with a new 
strategic plan that gives top priority to improving 
undergraduate education. Half of the $5.1 million will go 
toward this effort.

For example, funds will be used to add more sections of 
freshman courses, expand advising services, provide 
supplemental instruction in some classes, add scholarships 
and support the Center for Teaching Excellence.

Following are some other features of the preliminary budget:

--Healthy livestock -- A new state appropriation of $1 
million will enable the College of Veterinary Medicine to 
enhance and modernize livestock research and teaching efforts 
and better serve the livestock industry of Iowa.

--Distance education -- $300,000 in earnings from the 
endowment created upon the sale of WOI-TV will be used to 
expand distance education offerings. The funds also will 
provide support for the operation and maintenance of the 
satellite uplink.

--Cleaner campus -- An additional $100,000 will fund more 
student custodial staff to improve the overall cleanliness of 
the campus, especially classrooms, hallways and public areas 
of buildings.

--Safety and repairs -- A $2 million state appropriation will 
fund fire and environmental safety improvements and deferred 
maintenance projects. 

--New facilities not funded -- Iowa State did not receive new 
state appropriations for proposed new facilities -- intensive 
livestock research facilities, livestock units and the 
Engineering Teaching and Research Complex.

--Mileage reimbursements -- Iowa State officials propose 
raising the mileage reimbursement rate for faculty, P&S and 
some general service staff to the maximum allowed by the IRS. 
The maximum currently is 30 cents per mile.

The university rate, set by the regents last year, is 24 
cents a mile for employees who don't have access to a 
university motor pool vehicle and 21 cents a mile otherwise. 

ISU officials maintain the current rates do not cover the 
actual costs of operating a vehicle and particularly 
disadvantage Extension staff who must use their own vehicles 
for business. In addition, officials say it would be more 
cost-effective to reimburse employees for business use of 
their own vehicles at the full IRS rate than to increase the 
university vehicle fleet.

_____
contact:  Diana Pounds, Internal Communications, (515) 294-
          4845
updated:  5-26-95