Range movement salary increases costly to campuses

Earlier this year, the state mandated a 2 percent cost of living increase and 1.5 percent merit increase for classified staff. It also required range-movement increases for classified staff, ensuring salaries are at least in the minimum range of the prevailing market.

Todd Saliman, vice president and chief financial officer, reported to the CU Board of Regents Tuesday that shifts in the range movement have been more costly to the campuses than anticipated.

“The range difference was significant on the campuses; it’s something they are absorbing,” Saliman said. “Most classified employees were not impacted by this and did not see a shift in their range. Some did.”

About 725 of the 3,172 classified employees across the system received range-movement salary increases totaling $1,276,038.

• Nearly 400 of the more than 2,000 classified staff received a range-movement boost in salary, costing CU-Boulder $583,167.
• Ninety-nine of the 207 classified staff at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs received range-of-movement salary increases for $216,194.
• CU Denver and Anschutz Medical Campus awarded range-movement increases to 225 of 959 classified staff for $467,649.
• Four out of four classified staff at the CU system received range of movement increases, for $9,028.

In April, the regents also unanimously voted to approve a 3.1 percent meritorious salary pool for faculty and exempt professionals.