Rafes speaks to Staff Council about salaries, staffing levels, legislative session

The UNT Staff Council heard a report from Richard Rafes, senior vice president for administration, Jan. 8 regarding a council resolution calling for greater consideration for staff salaries and staffing levels.

"Salary raises for staff have always been a priority, and I am comfortable in saying that will continue," Rafes said. "However, we are facing a nearly $10 billion deficit in the state's budget and no one can say what that is going to mean to this campus and to our funding."

Rafes said UNT's enrollment increases could work in the university's favor.

"The more students we have, the more money we get," he said. "Even with across-the-board state budget cuts, the more students we have, the greater the proportion of money from state formula funding of universities we should get. So it is in our interest to retain students and increase the size of our student body."

In other business, Andy Schoolmaster, professor of geography and associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and UNT Campus Beautification committee member, spoke to the council about a proposed Campus Spirit/Campus Beautification Day. The half-day event would allow faculty, staff and students to come together to complete improvement projects on campus. Several options were discussed, including the pros and cons of holding the event on a Friday afternoon vs. a Saturday morning, whether to hold the event this spring or wait until the fall, and ideas for specific projects. The council approved a motion to endorse the proposed Campus Spirit/ Beautification Day with a written statement.

In other business, council members:

• received copies of the completed 2002 Staff Survey.

• discussed a resolution rough draft regarding support for the creation of a childcare center on campus. The council approved a motion to grant the Staff Council Executive Committee the power to work with the UNT Human Resources Department to make necessary changes to the resolution's language and approve the resolution.

• were invited to attend the 2003 Equity and Diversity Conference and asked to encourage constituents to attend as well. Read more about the conference in this issue of InHouse or visit www.unt.edu/edo/.

The council meets again at 2 p.m. March 5 in Room 118 of Marquis Hall.

BY MICHELLE HALE mhale@unt.edu

Other featured articles in this issue

• New campaign promotes UNT license plates and scholarships
• Women at work: Habitat for Humanity calls for Women Build volunteers
• Rafes named senior vice president for administration
• Equity, diversity conference registration deadline nearing
• Pohl addresses golf course development issue
• UNT offers support system to employ people with disabilities
• UNT to sponsor Leadership Texas participant
• Gu creates new installation during residency
• UNT scholars win four Rotary scholarships

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