BILLINGS – The Montana Board of Regents has approved more than $1.3 billion in budgets for the coming year that include raises for most of the university system’s 8,000 employees, breaking with other state agencies that have kept salaries flat.
The board wrapped up a two-day meeting in Billings Thursday by approving raises of 1 percent of salary plus $500 this year, then 2 percent plus another $500 next fall, the Billings Gazette and the Bozeman Daily Chronicle reported.
Regents approved a 5 percent student tuition increase in May in part to pay for salary increases that university system faculty and staff have not seen in at least two years.
Kevin McRae, the system’s associate commissioner for communications and human resources, said 73 percent of the University of Montana’s tuition hike will be spent on raises for faculty and staff. At Montana State University, 67 percent of the tuition increases will go toward raises.
The raises apply to employees in 20 labor unions, plus non-union employees and administrators. Five bargaining units still are in negotiations.
Relatively low faculty salaries have made it hard to recruit and retain professors at Montana campuses, said Marvin Lansverk, a Montana State University English professor who was representing faculty senates across the state.
“We’re paid 10 to 40 percent below our peers,” Lansverk said.
Jennifer Gursky, a UM student representing student governments, said she supported the salary increases to maintain the quality of teaching and services. She said she would like the state to value higher education more in the future.
Regent Todd Buchanan of Billings voted for salary increases for most employees but opposed those for administrators because he was concerned that campuses wouldn’t have enough money to fill positions that are now vacant. He noted that many Montana businesses aren’t giving their employees raises this year.
“In the circles I run with, people are thankful to have a job,” he said.