UW 'Turns Corner' on Faculty Salaries;
Enrollments, Tuition to Rise
 The University of Washington may find fewer professors leaving for higher
paid positions elsewhere-and more top professors willing to come here-as
a result of a new state budget passed April 25.
Lawmakers gave state employees a 3 percent raise for each year of the
two-year budget, and they also set aside $4.6 million for the UW to use
to recruit and retain faculty. In addition, the Legislature authorized the
UW regents to raise tuition, portions of which could be used to augment
pay levels.
In 1998, faculty salaries were 14.3 percent behind our peer institutions.
The new funding may close some of that gap,depending on pay hikes at the
UW's peer institutions over the next two years.
State Capitol in Olympia
"This is a good budget for higher education and the UW," says
President Richard L. McCormick. "It is a solid financing package that
combines state-funded salary increases with tuition flexibility and a recruitment
and retention pool to 'turn the corner' on our serious salary problems."
McCormick adds, "This represents an important down-payment in attracting
and keeping the best faculty and staff talent at the University and it should
have a favorable impact on campus morale. This budget also recognizes the
important role the University plays in technology, research and economic
development by providing money to support high impact research and the next
generation of Internet."
"This is a strong down payment," adds Sheral Burkey, associate
vice president for university relations and director of government relations,
"but I don't think anyone believes that we've fixed the problem. This
is a long-term effort. We need to get to our peer average."
Increases will not be across the board since faculty pay hikes are based
on merit.
While the Legislature
turned down the UW request to raise tuition $50 each quarter--a 24 percent
increase by 2001--it did give regents authority to raise tuition as much
as 4.6 percent in 1999-2000 and 3.6 percent in 2000-01.
The regents were scheduled to consider a tuition proposal at their May
21 meeting. Currently resident, undergraduate tuition and fees are $3,495.
If the regents raise tuition to the limit, the 1999-2000 rate would be $3,639
and the 2000-01 rate would be $3,756.
Non-resident tuition would rise from its current $11,517 to $12,030 in
1999-2000 and to $12,450 in 2000-01.
While tuition may be increasing, enrollment levels at all three UW campuses
will also rise. Seattle will see an extra 410 undergraduate and 329 graduate
slots. Bothell gets 146 new undergraduates and 95 graduates. Tacoma will
see a boost of 243 undergraduates and 81 graduates.
All three campuses also saw new funding for capital projects. The Legislature
will finance a $39.3 million renovation of Suzzallo Library to bring the
historic structure up to code, install cables for new information technology,
and restore the library's exquisite exterior of stained glass, cut stone,
statues and masonry. Work should start in the spring of 2000.
Lawmakers also authorized the UW to use its own funds to cover about
two-thirds of the cost of a new law school building. The law school has
already raised close to one-third of the cost of the $70 million structure
in private donations. The building will go up on the south end of the parking
lot next to the Burke Museum. Construction is scheduled to start in June
2001.
UW Bothell will receive $50 million to begin a second phase of construction
on its new campus shared with Cascadia Community College. The campus, located
near the intersection of I-405 and State Route 522, will open in the fall
of 2000. Phase two will fund academic facilities and parking structures.
UW Tacoma will get $36.4 million for its phase two construction, which
will build two new academic facilities and restore an old warehouse at its
downtown site.
Several UW technology initiatives also fared well in Olympia. A joint
proposal with WSU will fund the Advanced Technology Initiative, allowing
for new faculty clusters in specialized fields which will work collaboratively
with the private sector. The UW also got $4 million to serve as a hub for
the next generation of Internet. | 