The UW System Board of Regents voted Thursday to recommend an increase in UW System employee salary in the 2017-’19 biennial budget.
If passed, some UW employees would see a 2 percent annual increase in their salary for the next two years. The money would go to each university’s chancellor, who will then distribute the money. UW System Vice President for Administration and Fiscal Affairs David Miller said that traditionally these raises have been given based on merit.
The $70 million needed for this proposal would be funded by the state rather than an increase in tuition.
The salary increase was proposed in response to an increasing turnover rate of UW faculty. There has been nearly a 2 percent increase
State employees have not seen a
UW officials reported other employees at state universities have received a similar raise in recent years.
“If we continue to increase that gap between what we pay our employees and what others pay theirs, it makes it even harder to catch up [to other universities],” said UW System President Ray Cross.
While this proposal will not completely close the salary gaps between UW System employees, the resolution is intended to “provide modest salary increases and provide chancellors with the ability to recognize the contributions of UW faculty and staff.”
The proposal will now go to the state Department of Administration and, if approved, will be reviewed by the state Legislature.
Gov. Scott Walker has not made a statement as to his position on the proposal, however Walker spokesperson Tom Evenson, told the Wisconsin State Journal that the governor's office "will review the proposal as we work to craft the next state budget.”
