Dear faculty and staff,
Over the last 14 months, I have watched our faculty and staff excel to new heights and perform heroically in the face of adversity brought on by the global pandemic. In the wake of that exceedingly demanding period, I’m pleased to share that the university will provide salary and wage increases for the upcoming fiscal year 2022. We’re honored to make this investment in you, your families and your lives.
We greatly appreciate the funds appropriated by the Mississippi Legislature. In addition to that allocation, the university is committing additional funds from its permanent institutional budget. This allows us to increase the total amount available for salary and wage increases from 1 percent to 3 percent. Most permanent, full-time employees will be eligible for a pay increase. The increase will be effective July 1, 2021.
Additionally, I’m proud to announce that the university will increase its minimum wage rate to $12.50 per hour for all permanent employees, effective July 1, 2021. Our people are the key component of how we serve our students successfully, and this wage increase reflects our commitment to invest in all of our employees. Please know that we have also worked diligently to address compression challenges.
The budget office will issue specific guidance and instructions to signatory officers for these items. All filled positions covered by soft money, self-generated funds or separately budgeted unit funds should be reviewed for pay increases during this same period.
The university continues to work diligently on pay equity adjustments, and I’m pleased to share that I have approved the first two phases of our three-phrased approach. These adjustments are central to how we support and invest in our people by providing equitable compensation. These equity adjustments will be applied July 1, 2021, and will be communicated directly to those impacted.
We will continue working earnestly to evaluate and address the many needs across our university. In particular, I’m grateful to our graduate students and instructors, and we’re committed to increasing graduate student stipends. We look forward to working with each school and the College of Liberal Arts on this effort.
As I have shared before, our combined efforts are vital to how we continue to face the ultra-competitive enrollment landscape and how that impacts our core Educational and General Budget. Each one of us has a supporting role to play in how we invigorate university-wide enrollment work, provide an outstanding education to future generations of students, and build our future.
In closing, let me share my gratitude for the incredible work that you – our faculty and staff – do to fuel our commitment to serving our students, our state and our future. I’m inspired by your dedication, talent and hard work that you bring to your roles each and every day.
Sincerely,
Glenn F. Boyce
Chancellor
