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UND to give merit raises, over and above the 2% the Legislature okayed

University of North Dakota

Some faculty and staff at the University of North Dakota could be getting larger raises than the 2 percent increases authorized by the 2019 Legislature.

That 2 percent is for the first year of the biennium. It comes with a $120 per month minimum. The Legislature also allowed merit raises, if state agencies could find savings in their budgets.

UND administration directed department heads and deans to look at reallocation of spending.

"As a result, we were able to generate enough savings to be able to supplement the two percent coming from the state," said UND Vice President for Finance and Operations Jed Shivers.

Shivers said because of the $120 per month minimum raise, some employees will have already received 4 percent or more.

"But there's a whole bunch of people who will be significantly less than 4 percent," Shivers said.

Shivers said UND is calculating the difference for those employees what the amounts would be between a 2 percent raise and 4 percent. Those amounts were added together, creating a “merit pool” for each department.

"We have said, this has to be real merit," Shivers said. "This has to be based upon performance."

The various departments were given a number, and the deans and department heads were told they could give raises as they see fit.

"That's the process we're currently undertaking," Shivers said.

Shivers said some staff haven’t received raises for three years, because of an allotment and a salary freeze in the 2017-2019 biennium. He said this pay plan will help UND retain employees.

"Compensation is a big deal," Shivers said. "Inflation hasn't completely gone away, either."

The legislature approved 2 ½ percent raises for state employees in the second year of the biennium.

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