HOUSE REPUBLICANS CALL FOR 3 PERCENT WSU FACULTY SALARY INCREASES.
With Democrats and Republicans at an impasse in budget negotiations, GOP leaders broke out a copy of their proposal for a biennial operating budget for WSU. Most significantly, the plan unveiled by Republican leaders contained an improved salary increase package for faculty members. However, the proposal didn`t measure up to the governor`s initiatives in technology and distance learning, the Spokane Health Sciences consortium, and in settling a WSU trust lands dispute. This proposal is not a true House budget bill, as there is not yet an agreement between Republicans and Democrats, who share control of the state House. But it is being reviewed favorably by House Republicans and will likely be considered in crafting a House budget. House Democrats have not yet revealed a plan. Here`s the highlights of the House GOP budget which is still being evaluated by WSU:
Salaries: 3 percent salary increases for WSU teaching and research faculty and librarians beginning Sept. 1, with an additional 3 percent increase in the year 2000. The governor proposed a 2 % salary increases each year for all employees. House Republicans will provide the 2 percent increase to exempt and classified staff, counselors and administrators at WSU. The university had sought funding to raise salaries by 4.5 percent per year.
Republicans fully funded the $2.3 million faculty "recruitment and retention" pool sought by WSU. The governor provided $1.15 million for a similar fund to increase salaries selectively for employees we are most at risk of losing. Both the House Republicans and the Governor would also permit the use of tuition revenue to enhance salaries. House Republicans would limit a tuition-financed portion of a salary increase to one percent.
If all options were exercised, the increases for instructional faculty and librarians would average about 4.5% per year, and for other faculty and professionals about 3.5% per year.
Technology: House Republicans did not advocate full funding of university technology requests, recommending only $940,000 to fund programs at the WSU Teaching and Learning Center to support technology-assisted course delivery. The governor suggested $3.4 million to accelerate the use of technology-based, cutting edge teaching strategies for learning, both on-campus and off-campus including conversion of up to 200 traditional courses to multi-media or distance learning strategies. Republicans did not fund the $1.5 million for establishment of a state-wide "on-line college." WSU was pleased to be designated by the governor`s proposed budget as the state-wide fiscal agent and lead agency for an on-line catalog, student services support and other assistance for distance learning.
Access: Only $750,000 of the $2.1 million request was provided by House Republicans for establishment of a state-wide "Health Sciences Consortium" in Spokane. The governor fully funded the proposal.
-- Like the governor, House Republicans recommended 159 of 205 FTEs in Spokane sought by WSU, however the funding levels are vastly different. The Governor recommended $3.0 million, which would allow the establishment of new Health Sciences computer engineering and business programs. House Republicans provide only $1.9 million - enough for computer engineering and business, but not health science.
-- The House Republican budget appeared to provide $762,000 to expand the Extended Degree Program at WSU, adding 151 of the 200 students requested by WSU. That was better funded by the governor at $1.1 million.
-- House Republicans recommended 120 of the 150 additional students requested by WSU for Vancouver, as did the governor.
-- House Republicans appeared to provide for 226 new FTEs in Pullman with funding of $1.1 million. This is the same number of enrollments and slightly better funding than recommended by the governor.
Research Funding Provided: Like the governor, the House Republican budget provides $2.35 million in state funds for the WSU "Safe Food Initiative" to protect food crops from devastating pests and enhance consumer confidence in its food supplies. However, the Republican budget is far more problematic to implement as it divides the money equally between each fiscal year. Most of the need s for state funding are in the second year of the biennium. Some key Republicans indicate they are working to improve the funding level and the distribution of funds for this proposal. -- House Republicans advocate $1 million for the "Advanced Technology Initiative," at WSU, allowing the university to expand research clusters in precision agriculture, reproductive biology, or semiconductor technology. The proposal was not recommended by the governor or the Higher Education Coordinating Board.
Tuition Increases For All Students, 4 percent this Fall, 3.2 percent next year: House Republicans provided the authority, within limits, for institutions to set their own tuition rates. Institutions have the option to raise if lower tuition up to 2 percent for resident undergrads. House Republicans also advocated giving authority to vary tuition increases by student category, program, time or location.
Trust Lands Issues: House Republicans provided an additional $5 million to reimburse WSU`s trust account for funds improperly taken by the Department of Natural Resources. Combined with $5 million proposed in a House Supplemental budget, this provides about $10 million so far for the trust. The Senate has proposed $20 million its supplemental budget. Neither proposal yet fully addresses the $36 million settlement offer made by the governor in his proposed supplemental budget.
Distinguished Professorships: House Republicans propose putting $500,000 in reserve for allocations to distinguished professorships provided the university makes specific improvements toward unspecified performance and accountability goals.
