For the second year in a row, the Pitt Board of Trustees has set the salary pool increases at 2.25 percent for faculty and staff.

The University’s operating and capital budgets for fiscal year 2019 were approved by the board on July 16. They included a 3 percent increase ($4.4 million) in funding from the state. Gov. Tom Wolf signed the state budget on June 23 ­— before the end of the fiscal year — avoiding the lengthy budget fights and delays of previous years.

In addition to the salary pool increases, the Pitt 2019 budget includes:

• A $100 million increase in the operating budget, from $2.2 billion in 2018 to $2.3 billion.
• $339.5 million capital budget, up from $251.7 million in 2017.
• $819 million projected research base, up from last year's record-breaking research base of $808 million.

Undergraduate tuition will remain the same for the majority of in-state students on all five campuses. On the Pittsburgh campus, out-of-state undergraduate tuition will rise 4.75 percent, but on the regional campuses, most out-of-state students will see no increase. All engineering students will see an increase of around 2 percent to cover increasing program demands and costs. Graduate students also will see tuition increases.

Salary pool details

The salary pool increase allows for 1.5 percent raises for faculty and staff members who performed satisfactorily and an additional 0.75 percent is available for merit, market or equity increases.

“I am pleased that there will be salary increases for faculty and staff once again,” said Chris Bonneau, newly installed University Senate president and associate professor of political science. “However, the increments approved by the board are about the same as the inflation rate over the past year.  For Pitt to continue to attract and retain excellent faculty, Pitt needs to continue to invest in and reward faculty, whose research and teaching are the primary drivers of Pitt's excellence as a university.”

Staff Council President Andy Stephany said his group is “glad to have three individuals on the UPBC committee which annually established the parameters for this year’s budget. The collaborative and constructive process the committee takes is a testament to the University’s commitment to shared governance.

“We appreciate the 2.25 percent salary pool for staff and we will continue to advocate for improving the working climate for staff at Pitt, including salary and compensation. We hope to use the staff’s advocacy opportunities like Pitt Day in Harrisburg to demonstrate our staff’s level of dedication to the University.”

A statement from Senior Vice Chancellors Greg Scott (Business and Operations) and Art Ramicone (chief financial officer) said, “The approved funds will allow us to manage personnel costs responsibly while offering an opportunity to recognize meritorious performance and respond to an increasingly competitive market.”

Faculty and staff members will receive information about specific salary increases in the coming weeks. Any raises will be retroactive to July 1 and will be included in the Sept. 28 monthly pay or Sept. 14 biweekly pay.

Human Resources addresses frequently asked questions about the salary pool in a separate article.