As College leaders work to prepare the Fiscal Year 2011-2012 budget proposal for the Board of Trustees (BOT) approval, they are exploring how they can provide extra incentives for the hard work and commitment of College faculty, state classified staff and administrators during these tough economic times impacting the entire state.

During the BOT Finance Subcommittee meeting held on April 22, Vice President for Administration, Finance and Facilities Natalie Lutes provided the following options to be considered:

• An 8 percent increase in Metro State’s share of health insurance for faculty and administrators: the College’s share is 61 percent and the employees’ share is 39 percent.
• Model a 2 percent salary increase for administrators and faculty, including affiliate, category II, tenure/tenure track professors and department chairs.
• An Eco-Pass for state classified employees, as classified staff are not eligible for a salary adjustment. About 250 employees fall in this category.

When considering how to acknowledge all employees, Metro State President Stephen Jordan said, “This is an employee morale issue. We cannot give an increase to two categories and not to one category.”

Also during the meeting, the subcommittee approved parameters for the FY 2011-12 budget. Once the parameters are approved by the full board, which will vote on the matter at the May Board of Trustees meeting, Lutes will build the FY 2011-12 budget proposal to be presented at the June board meeting.