Administrators may look for alternative sources to Legislative pay package

The university may seek to give its higher-paid employees raises, even if the Arizona Senate's version of the salary package - which eliminates the raises for state employees making more than $82,000 a year - passes the Legislature.

University of Arizona Provost George Davis said at yesterday's Faculty Senate meeting that the equivalent of 640 full-time university positions would not receive salary increases under the plan, but the university is seeking ways to give that group raises with its own funds.

The Senate plan, Davis said, does not allow the university to use state funds to give raises to that high-earning group, but he said the university might be able to dip into other funds.

"This creates a tremendous, tremendous difficulty for this university as we struggle to follow a moving target," Davis said.

He said administrators are uncertain where those funds would come from, but he said the university will look to its salary savings fund.

"We're still exploring the very fact that so many have been excluded by this plan," he said. "It drives home the fact that we still have work to do."

Davis said nearly $2 million would be needed for this group to receive 2.5 percent salary increases.

But with salaries at other institutions becoming more competitive and UA salaries lagging as much as 40 percent behind other universities, prized faculty on the top of the pay scale have been leaving the university for more lucrative contracts elsewhere.

Members of the Faculty Senate had hoped the original salary package passed last spring by the Legislature would have reduced discrepancies between UA salaries and those at other universities.

Davis said the UA's original salary distribution plan, which would have based faculty increases partly on merit, might not work under the Senate's plan.

Thursday, the Senate approved a plan to give a 5 percent raise to state employees making up to $55,000 a year and a 3.5 percent raise to those making $55,000 to $82,000 a year. Those making more than $82,000 would receive nothing.

In an e-mail yesterday, Davis, Joel Valdez, senior vice president for business affairs and Saundra Taylor, vice president for campus life, said all salary adjustment proceedings have been put on hold until the Legislature comes to an agreement on a salary package.

The Senate plan will now face opposition from the House, which seeks to eliminate the increases entirely.

Rachel Williamson contributed to this report.