One of Austin’s biggest employers is getting ready to hand out raises.
University of Texas at Austin President Bill Powers says merit-based pay increases for faculty and staff will go into effect Sept. 1.
The salary increases will vary by department and Powers says they aren’t huge – but will help the university hang on to talented faculty and staff.Below is the email Powers sent to faculty and staff:
Dear Colleagues: To continue to make progress as a university, we must remain competitive for talented faculty and staff. We cannot do this without supporting our salary structure. So after consultation with the leadership of the Faculty Council and Staff Council, I recommended modest, merit-based pay increases for UT employees. I wish to thank the UT System Board of Regents for approving our budget, including this proposal. The funds for these increases will come from savings implemented by our deans and vice presidents as part of our five-year budget process. None will be funded from recent increases in graduate and out-of-state tuition or from previously announced and much appreciated special allocations from the Available University Fund made possible by the Board of Regents. In this time of austerity, we are focusing on what matters most - student success and remaining competitive for talented faculty and staff. Our peer universities continue to try to raid talent at UT. These pay increases are small but strategic adjustments to protect that talent. To get the greatest strategic return on these limited funds, the deans and other University executives were given maximum flexibility to allocate these resources. Circumstances vary from college to college and among administrative units, and some have implemented merit raises for one year rather than making them permanent. Others opted for a mix of pay increases and strategic hires of much-needed faculty or staff. Merit increases are effective September 1, 2012. Your supervisor will provide you with information on your estimated salary and can answer questions. These salary increases are only possible through greater efficiency on the part of the entire University community. I continue to be proud of the countless ways our faculty and staff are maintaining the high standards of performance that make UT Austin a leading university. We are doing our best during challenging times to ensure the University's continued advancement. Every day I marvel at what our University accomplishes for society. Thank you for your role in that success. Bill Powers President
