Kansas State University President Richard Linton has announced plans to increase wages for staff in the upcoming academic year.
In a letter penned to the university community Monday, Linton noted plans to invest more than $12 million in compensation increases and salary adjustments.
Linton says the vast majority of this funding will support faculty and staff salaries, including $3.5 million for a 1.25% across-the-board increase for all benefits-eligible faculty, unclassified and university support staff hired on or before Dec. 1, 2022. He says $6.5 million is being used to fund a 2.5% merit pool to provide eligible faculty and staff with merit raises based on recent performance evaluations for calendar year 2022.
Another $2.1 million will fund 150 targeted faculty salary enhancements, faculty promotions and professorial performance awards. The investments are in addition to funding for increased employer fringe benefits costs and Total Rewards adjustments for under-market staff salaries.
Salary increases will be reflected in fiscal year 2024 contracts, issued in early June.
Last week, the state’s six universities announced proposed tuition rate increases for the first time since 2019, including a 5 percent hike at K-State, which will help support salary increases. The Kansas Board of Regents will vote on those tuition hikes at their June meeting.
