By Michael Walsh
The Connecticut State University System Board of Trustees is expected to vote at their next meeting on whether or not to impose a salary freeze on management and non-union unclassified staff for the fiscal year beginning in July 2011.
If the recommendation is approved, it would be the second one-year freeze on the salaries in the last three years. The board is also expected to decide whether or not to go on record as intending to maintain current tuition levels at all four state schools without an increase for the academic year beginning next fall, according to a press release issued by CSUS. The board’s next meeting is Thursday, Sept. 23 at Eastern Connecticut State University.
The board’s Finance and Administration Committee met last Friday and voted to recommend that the board impose the mentioned salary freeze and hold tuition at current levels at Central, Eastern, Western and Southern. The tuition level does not include the student sickness and accident insurance fees.
If implemented for next fall, it would be the first time since the 1999-2000 academic year that the tuition was not raised at the start of the year.
The cost of attendance for one of the CSUS schools is currently sits among the lowest in the Northeast. The average cost for a commuter student at the four schools in the 2010-2011 academic year is $8,043 while residents are paying an average of $17,997.
“Our students are priority number one, and we are committed to ensuring that they receive the great education and great value that they deserve,” said CSUS Board of Trustees Chairman Karl J. Krapek in the issued press release. “We recognize the economic challenges facing many of our students and their families, and will remain steadfast in our commitment to providing affordable, accessible, high quality education. Adopting the recommendation would make our intent clear – to keep tuition at current levels.”
The salary freeze, if implemented, would affect management and non-union staff. This is believed to be the first proposed salary freeze by any Connecticut government agency for the fiscal year of 2012.
According to the press release, $43 million has been saved over the last three years due to a series of fiscal moves, including a 32 percent staff reduction in the system office, the initial year-long salary freeze and unpaid furlough days. CSUS has also adsorbed a reduction of $15 million in the form of money taken back by the state to help balance the state budget.
“In light of the pace of the state’s continuing recovery, and the likelihood of continued fiscal constraints, we believe it is prudent to notify non-union staff at this early date of plans to institute an additional salary freeze,” Krapek said in the press release.
The possible salary freeze would reportedly impact university presidents and vice presidents, deans of students, police chiefs and human resources employees, among other administrative positions.
According to the press release, CSUS is the state’s largest university system with over 36,000 students attending all four schools. Nine in ten graduates of the CSUS stay in state and 93 percent of the school’s students are from Connecticut.