For Release April 4
Regent Hansen Says Salary Increases Are the Only Intent of Imposed Contract
PIERRE, SD-The Board of Regents met yesterday morning by teleconference to consider the state Department of Labor's recommendations to resolve the stalled negotiations between the Board of Regents and its faculty union.
Regent James Hansen said, "The faculty have gone too long without salary increases, and the Board is making every effort to speed-up negotiations in order to allow raises this spring" (effective for 1997-98). The Board adopted the interim terms and conditions of employment as its offer to COHE (Council of Higher Education), to be in force for only one year. If accepted, then salary increases for faculty could be distributed for next year at the same time as other state employees get pay raises, while a successor contract can be negotiated.
Hansen continued to explain that, negotiations could continue for a new contract without imposing an unnecessary burden on faculty members and their families by delaying any salary increases. "The only reason for imposing this temporary contract now, is to provide for salary increases", Hansen added.
Regents Executive Director Robert T. Tad Perry said of the action, "The most important thing is to give the faculty their salary increase for next year. We may not be able to do this [issue pay increases] without a new agreement. To give raises on July 1 we only have a few weeks to get ready."
The interim terms do not provide for salary increases for the current year, since the 1996 Legislature made no appropriations for faculty salaries. Money appropriated by the 1997 Legislature cannot be distributed until a new round of negotiations has been completed.