Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1954 [PAGE 1187]

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1184

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

[December 16

deeds and other documents and papers to be executed by the University, after they have been approved by the University Legal Counsel in connection with this transaction. Mr. Bissell then moved that an assignment of $125,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary, be made for the purchase of said property and for expenses incidental to this transaction, $56,650 to be assigned from the state appropriation for land acquisitions and $68,350 to be appropriated from the General Reserve Fund. The foregoing motions having been discussed and presented as a single action, and the question being called for, the motions were passed by the following vote: Aye, Mr. Bissell, Mr. Grange, Mr. Hickman, Mr. Johnston, Mr. Livingston, Mr. Megran, and Mr. Nickell; no, Mr. Herrick; not voting, Mrs. Holt and Mrs. Watkins; absent, Governor Stratton.

BUSINESS PRESENTED BY T H E ACTING PRESIDENT OF THE UNIVERSITY

The Board took up consideration of the following reports and recommendations from the Acting President of the University.

APPROPRIATION FOR PREVAILING AND RELATED NEGOTIATED WAGE RATE INCREASES (1) The University has long recognized that it must continue to pay the prevailing rates when such rates can be determined in the locality. (Nonacademic Policv and Rules I I I - i . ) It has also recognized the necessity that rates paid for nonprevailing nonacademic personnel must be established on the same principle of paying a rate comparable to that paid within the community for similar work (Nonacademic Policy and Rules III-4) and an adequate differential be established for increased responsibilities above such levels. As a general policy, increases for the nonacademic employees and the academic staff should be on a comparable basis. It is therefore recommended that the funds budgeted for prevailing and related negotiated rate groups should not exceed, on a percentage basis, those available for the academic staff and other nonacademic employees. It is further recommended that expenditures for prevailing rate increases shall be made within the total funds thus made available, and in the event such increases exceed these funds, employees be laid off to the extent necessary. The budget requested for the biennium 1953-1955, as presented to the Budgetary Commission, included funds for anticipated increases during the biennium for employees in the prevailing wage groups in the amount of $800,000. In addition funds were requested to carry forward, through the biennium, increases approved in 1051-1953 but for which funds had been available for only a part of this biennium. The amount requested to meet such increases was $400,000. Hence, total funds requested for the prevailing wage increases for the biennium 1953-1955 were $1,200,000. It is history that the University did not receive any of this money. In preparing the 1953-1954 budget, the Physical Plant Department curtailed its program of maintenance and reduced its staff to absorb the deficit of $200,000 ($400,000 on a biennial basis). The Board of Trustees also appropriated $45,500 for additional increases which had been approved, effective July 1, 1953. In making this appropriation, the Board of Trustees approved a report of the Board Committee on Nonacademic Personnel which said, "The Committee believes that the policy of paying the prevailing wage rates should be maintained . . . An effort will be made to provide from the General Reserve Fund additions if funds materialize, but no commitment can be made at this time."