Central Michigan University employees will see some changes to their salary and benefits in the upcoming fiscal year.
The
most prominent changes include a 3 percent salary adjustment, suspension of pay for performance, an increase of premium payments
and change to medical coverage upon retirement. This is according to the Professional and Administrative Communicator released
this month, which outlines employee compensation.
Associate Vice President of Human Resources Maxine Kent said changes
such as the 3 percent adjustment will take effect on the first payday of the new fiscal year on July 15.
"Salaries
fall if we don't give an annual adjustment comparable to other institutions," she said. "We adjust to the budget in what amount
we need to hold."
Employees who were hired between July 1, 2007 and March 31, 2008 will not qualify for the across-the-board
salary increase.
Cali Clark, director of employment and compensation, said the primary reason for the adjustment is
other area universities.
"It's important for CMU to stay competitive," she said.
The pay for performance program
will be suspended for the second consecutive year, but the annual performance evaluation of staff members will remain in place.
Pay
for performance, which would offer compensation to staff for quality work, is not being replaced with any other form of reward
for faculty performance.
"There's no other way to compensate besides merit," Clark said.
Kent said employee
evaluations will remain because they are a critical component to helping employees advance their careers.
Premium costs,
medical coverage rates which employees pay, are increasing from 5 to 8 percent. This will leave CMU to cover 92 percent of
the costs.
Kent said the adjustment makes the employee benefit more affordable for CMU.
Employees hired after
the fiscal year, which begins July 1, will not be eligible for medical coverage after retirement.
Director of Benefits
and Wellness Lori Hella said the self-funded medical program for retirees covers only 38 retired faculty members because others
chose to use personal insurance agencies.
"We'd have to charge retirees to participate," she said.
Tthe lack
of participation makes it difficult to provide coverage, Kent said.
"We've been having trouble making (retiree coverage)
a stable plan," Kent said. "It's impossible to self-fund a plan with 38 people."
Despite the cuts elsewhere, CMU will
continue its Wellness Program, a four-phase program that pays employees for annual physicals and blood tests, weekly exercising
and online lifestyle surveys.
"There's a number of Wellness Programs," Kent said. "We want to get people aware of health
issues and get them exercising regularly."
news@cm-life.com
End of CMU Promise increases summer enrollment
Students enrolled at Central Michigan University after the summer will no longer have the advantages
of the CMU Promise's fixed room and board, fixed tuition rates, and the elimination of mandatory fees.
This summer
is the last opportunity for new students to be eligible for the five-year guaranteed tuition plan, so incoming freshman and
transfers are no longer waiting until the fall for admission, said Mary Meier, assistant director of Institutional Research.
The
unofficial number of registered students is around 5,200, compared to last summer's number of about 4,800, Meier said.
Cynthia
Rubingh, director of receivable accounting and loans, said continuing the Promise would not have been feasible, but that CMU
will not see a large increase in tuition rates in the fall.
"We are so unsure of state appropriations," she said. "(But)
we're still going to be one of the lowest state institutions for the rate of tuition."
Aside from the rush to qualify
for the Promise, other reasons may also be responsible for the increase of registered students, including those who are returning
and already covered by guaranteed tuition.
"Summer enrollment is also dependent on what the departments are offering,"
Meier said.
Dan Vetter, senior associate dean of business administration, said more transfer students have enrolled
this summer and as a result, the university is accommodating them.
"Students transfer in with different needs," he
said. "We're offering some additional classes in the summer."
Demand dictates which classes are offered in the summer,
said Associate Dean of Students and Director of Scholarship and Financial Aid Michael Owens.
He said the university
responds to these needs by offering new and online courses.
"Typically the summer is real modest. There may be no
more than 100 new students," he said. "If you look at summer enrollment 20 years ago, it was bigger than it is today."
Summer
enrollment is half of what it once was, Owens said.
Enrollment is up nearly everywhere in mid-Michigan. Matt Miller,
executive director of college advancement at Mid Michigan Community College, said. Its first session began Monday with 1,240
students, an increase from close to 1,000 since the summer of 2007.
news@cm-life.com
