UNI faculty and staff agree to pay raise delay

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa -- Following the latest round of state budget cuts, the University of Northern Iowa faces an additional $1.9 million reduction in its appropriated budget. In response, UNI's faculty union, United Faculty, voted Tuesday to delay the negotiated salary increase until Nov. 1, 2002. The increase had been scheduled to go into effect July 1.

Fiscal year 2002-2003 is the second year of a two-year contract negotiated between United Faculty and the Board of Regents, State of Iowa.

UNI's academic administrators, professional and scientific staff, and others who are not subject to collectively bargained contracts, also have agreed to delay their increases. No agreement has yet been made with UNI staff who are members of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME).

"This is a bold and selfless move on the part of UNI's faculty, staff and administration," said UNI President Robert Koob.

"I am very proud of our faculty, staff and administrators for putting the greater good ahead of their own self interests, but I am dismayed that our dedicated employees must shoulder this burden," said Aaron Podolefsky, UNI provost and vice president for Academic Affairs.

These agreements will help the university manage the most recent reduction in state budget appropriations approved during the second special session of the Iowa General Assembly. University officials believe these actions will allow UNI to maintain its faculty and staff and deliver the high-quality educational programs Iowans have come to expect.

This is the fifth reduction in the university's appropriated budget in the last 13 months. Appropriations reductions and under-funding of salaries during the initial legislative session led to the elimination or reduction of a number of UNI outreach centers that serve communities and businesses. Also reduced were budgets for Malcolm Price Laboratory School, intercollegiate athletics, KUNI Public Radio, and a large number of programs that facilitate continuous quality improvement on campus.

"As with those reductions, the present approach attempts to preserve quality in the university's core mission of teaching students," said Koob.

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6/19/02

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NORTHERN IOWA NAMES AREA STUDENTS TO 2002 SPRING SEMESTER DEAN'S LIST

CEDAR FALLS--(Name/Names) from the (Hometown) area is/are among the students named to the 2002 spring semester Dean's List at the University of Northern Iowa.

To be included on the list, a student must have earned a grade point of 3.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale, while taking at least 12 hours of graded work during the semester. On the 4.0 system, an A is worth four points; a B, three points; a C, two points, and a D, one point.

NOTE TO EDITOR: Students are listed below alphabetically by hometown. Students are listed under the towns which they list with the Registrar as their home mailing address. Please check the list for other towns in your reading/listening area. Thank you.