Regents pass $2.9 billion operational budget
COLORADO SPRINGS – The University of Colorado Board of Regents voted Wednesday to approve a $2.9 billion operating budget for the university’s 2012-13 fiscal year, which begins July 1. The budget increased $69.9 million, or 2.5 percent, over the previous year.
Regents passed the budget 8-0 by as part of a consent agenda. Regent Steve Bosley was not present at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs for the meeting, which began Wednesday and continues today. (Note: CU Connections will be updated with news from the meeting throughout the day.)
The budget includes a 2 percent conditional salary pool for faculty and exempt staff, with stipulations such as:
- Exempt professionals who earn between $100,000 and $175,000 cannot receive more than a $2,000 increase.
- Exempt professionals who earn more than $175,000 are not eligible for an increase.
Before the vote, Carla Johnson, staff council chair, thanked the regents for the 2 percent salary increase for exempt professionals. She asked regents to speak with legislators on behalf of classified staff, who have not received a base-building raise in four years.
“Classified staff are moving increasingly from being the majority to the minority,” Johnson said. “The difference in compensation is driving a distance between employees.” Exempt professionals now account for 44.4 percent of total staff.
E. Jill Pollock, vice president of employee and information services, said when House Bill 11-1301 took effect in August 2011, the university had 4,103 classified staff. As of June 1, there were 3,762, a decrease of 341. In that same time period, exempt professionals increased by 605, from 2,396 to 3001. Pollock said a portion of HB 11-1301 clarified which state employees were eligible for exempt professional status. The numbers reflect classified vacancies that were reclassified as exempt. They also include classified staff who became eligible for exempt status and opted to do so.
“It’s important to note that no classified employee would ever be forced to become exempt,” she said.