Low salaries and a lack of advancement opportunities topped a list of complaints from employees who left the university recently.

A survey of 649 employees who left the University of Arizona between July 2000 and June 2001 found that these two gripes, along with other concerns like unsatisfactory working conditions and inadequate parking, were among the most consistent problems workers had with their jobs.

Low pay is the reason most University of Arizona employees leave their jobs, said Cathy Nicholson, director of employee relations at human resources. Fifty-two percent of respondents who left to pursue other jobs said they were "slightly to very dissatisfied" with their salaries.

Another common complaint from respondents was unsatisfactory working conditions, starting with their former bosses. More than 30 percent of those who answered the survey said they were "dissatisfied or not at all satisfied" with their supervisors.

For those who started at UA in entry-level positions, advancement has been a problem. Of those who left to pursue other jobs, 68 percent cited the lack of opportunity to advance their careers at the university.

Complaints about low pay resound across the board. Fifty percent of faculty, 50 percent of other appointed personnel and 49 percent of classified staff respondents were unhappy with their paychecks.

The number of top positions in any college or department is limited, and sometimes, UA employees get stuck in a position they had intended to advance beyond, Nicholson said.

Expensive parking garages and lack of parking were a common complaint.

"It might be very helpful to be very clear and honest with people about parking and what they can expect," Nicholson said. "It is expensive. That's an inconvenience · and we can't change that."

Respondents gave a thumbs-up to other aspects of their UA careers, like flexible schedules, access to UA resources, tuition waivers, retirement plans and health insurance.

However, next year's respondents may be less enthusiastic about health insurance, considering that costs increased for UA employees this year under a new health-plan provider, Nicholson said.

The results of the report will likely lead the university to more aggressively advertise under-used services, like childcare, and offer more training classes for supervisors, she added.

One current UA employee, who was not part of the survey, said she has no complaints.

"I'm glad that I still have a job," said Olgo Durazo, an administrative secretary in the department of Spanish and Portuguese. "I realize that times are difficult for everyone, and right now, staying where you're at is really a blessing."

One of Durazo's coworkers, who has spent substantial time in the private sector, agreed.

"The best thing is: It's a job I like," said Marie Messina, administrative associate in the department of Spanish and Portuguese. "I like the department, and I like the staff I work with."