Chancellor, staff reps urge salary increase

Chancellor Robert Hemenway speaks with Rep. Carl Krehbiel, R-Moundridge, after testifying at the state Capitol last week. The chancellor told the House Education Budget Committee that KU was “seriously harmed” by a loss of $18.8 million, or 8 percent of its budget, through reductions and unfunded costs. KU is joining with representatives from other regents universities to ask for support for higher education. R. Steve Dick/University Relations

Chancellor Robert Hemenway and scores of KU staff members are making their way to the state Capitol to appeal to legislators to support higher education and pay raises for KU employees.

Last week, the chancellor told the House Education Budget Committee that KU was “seriously harmed” by a loss of $18.8 million, or 8 percent of its budget, through reductions and unfunded costs.

“I want you to know: We are hurting. We are not whining, but we are hurting,” Hemenway said. “Last month, Governor [Kathleen] Sebelius announced her proposed budget for the coming year. In general, her proposal is helpful to the universities and the rest of public higher education.

“I appreciate especially her recommendation of a 1.5 percent salary increase for state employees. Our faculty, unclassified employees and classified staff have gone without any increase this year, so that’s a step in the right direction. If enacted, we would expect the state to fully fund that increase.”

The chancellor’s complete remarks are available at www.ur.ku.edu/News/03N/FebNews/Feb6/testimony.html.

Also last week, 10 representatives of KU’s 1,600 state classified employees met with legislators to focus attention on salary, benefits and retirement issues. Earlier this week a delegation of about 40 student leaders from the six regents universities spent the day in Topeka, meeting with 100 members of the Legislature on a variety of higher education issues.

And on Feb. 25, members of the Unclassified Professional Staff Association Executive Board and other unclassified staff also will visit legislators at the Capitol.

During their trip to the statehouse, KU Classified Senate representatives distributed a Kansas Council of Classified Senate position paper, available for download at www.ku.edu/~clsenate.

The paper lists the employees’ top interests this legislative session, including:

Salary
• adjust pay matrix annually so lowest pay rate is above most current Federal Poverty Salary Guideline for a family of four
• fund pay matrix step increases
• fully fund longevity pay at the current rate and remove $1,000 cap
• establish standing guidelines to keep classified employees’ salaries equitable with private sector

Benefits
• fund any increase in health insurance premiums by an offset of appropriated dollars to regents universities
• increase sick leave earned per pay period from 3.7 to 4.2 hours
• subsidize health insurance premiums for retirees with 85 points, specifically those who choose to retire before they are eligible for federal assistance

Retirement
• reduce KPERS vesting period to five years
• close the unfounded retirement liability gap in KPERS