January 25, 2002 UNT Inhouse publications: Pohl speaks about the status of 2002-03 raises

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Pohl speaks about the status of 2002-03 raises podium

UNT President Norval Pohl spoke to the Staff Council Jan. 9 on topics ranging from proposed uses for the recently purchased Texas Instruments plant and the construction schedule for the recreation center to future plans for athletic programs and the outlook for salary increases in September.

Though Pohl said the administration can make no promises at this point regarding pay raises, he is hopeful that funding will come through to improve employees' paychecks.

"The legislation stipulates that it is up to the comptroller to certify that there is enough of an increase in tax revenue to cover a salary increase," he said. "That decision will probably not come until late spring."

Though Pohl said he predicts that the comptroller will be unable to certify that the revenue is sufficient to provide additional funding for salary increases, employee pay raises will remain UNT's top budget priority.

Pohl's discussion about the TI plant centered on how it will likely be used and which departments will probably be moved to that location and when. He said possible uses for the property include housing the proposed UNT College of Engineering, becoming home to selected university administrative units and anchoring the development of an industrial park.

"It is almost certain that all departments in the University Services Building will be moved to the TI facility," Pohl said. "Also, parts of Administrative Computing will be relocated there."

Pohl said units could begin moving to the TI location as early as May.

The TI plant purchase is also going to have ramifications for the athletics department, Pohl said. After units in the University Services Building are moved to the TI plant, that building will undergo renovations for athletics department use. Pohl said he hopes athletics can move into the building by January 2003.

Pohl also touched on the construction schedule for the Student Recreation Center, to be built where Chestnut and Edwards halls are now.

According to Pohl, those buildings are slated for demolition in February and construction on the recreation center will begin with a groundbreaking in March. He plans for staff to begin moving into the building in August 2003 and said it should open for operation in September 2003. "The building is financed by student fees and we promised that we would not begin charging the rec center fee until the building was open for use," Pohl said.

Pohl also talked about the possibility of purchasing other property and long-range plans to revamp the football stadium.

In other business, the Staff Council:

• compared TWU's policy for faculty and staff taking classes to UNT's policy. According to TWU policy, faculty and staff are required to fully pay for all courses and university fees. They may take classes during the workday, but they may or may not be required to make up the time lost, depending on their work schedule. By comparison, UNT provides a fee waiver for faculty and staff and for their family members who enroll in classes. All employees are allowed to take classes during their lunch break or after work hours.

• recapped the Staff Council-sponsored brown bag lunch Dec. 18 for staff members to meet their council representatives. Though attendance was lower than hoped, council members who attended said the luncheon went well. Next year, the council plans to hold a similar event in October.

• discussed ways to improve communication with constituents. Council representatives suggested several ways to better provide staff members with information regarding council activities, including improving e-mail communication and use of resources including InHouse and the Human Resources Department newsletter.

• heard a report from the Human Resources Advisory Committee regarding several issues, including health benefits, the practice of docking pay or requiring use of compensation time or vacation time for leave when the university is closed for holidays, developing administrative leave for outstanding performance, review of the 45-consecutive-day eligibility requirement for use of sick pool benefits and the lack of UNT-provided child day care.

The next Staff Council meeting is at 2 p.m. March 6. Staff members may contact the Staff Council or their individual representative by visiting the Staff Council web site at www.unt.edu/staffcouncil.