Reinharz proposes creation of raise pool
by Miranda Neubauer
Senior Writer
News | 3/9/10
Posted online at 3:20 AM EST on 3/9/10
University President Jehuda Reinharz intends to propose to the Board of Trustees the creation of a "raise pool" for faculty and staff making under $150,000 in base compensation, he announced at Thursday's special faculty-only meeting, according to a University press release. He will also be proposing a wage freeze for any Brandeis employee earning more than $150,000 in base compensation and the reinstitution of University retirement contributions on July 1.
According to Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Jeff Apfel, the size of the raise pool still needs to be determined.
"If approved as part of the budget, the salary increase pool would be distributed only to faculty earning less than $150,000 in base compensation over the nine-month academic period and to employees earning less than $150,000 in base compensation over the 12-month calendar year," the press release states.
"We had a very difficult two years," Reinharz said in an interview with the Justice. "We are now well on our way to recovering from them, … and I felt that it was very important to recognize the hard work and hardship that everybody has gone through these past two years and to show the appreciation of the University for everything that they have done."
Apfel wrote in an e-mail to the Justice that he expected the wage freeze will apply to about 36 of 51 faculty and staff who earn $150,000 or more.
Those faculty who reach the $150,000 plateau through summer stipends are not included in the freeze.
Vice President for Human Resources Scott Bemis said that Brandeis has 1,650 faculty and staff employees overall but noted that employees of Aramark and mail room staff are not Brandeis employees. Bemis also said he did not know any details about Reinharz's plan.
In previous raise pools, Bemis said, managers in various University departments, including academics and services, would be able to decide the size of an employee's raise based on performance reviews, using money from a set percentage of the unit's overall salary budget reserved for raises.
According to Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Jeff Apfel, the size of the raise pool still needs to be determined.
"If approved as part of the budget, the salary increase pool would be distributed only to faculty earning less than $150,000 in base compensation over the nine-month academic period and to employees earning less than $150,000 in base compensation over the 12-month calendar year," the press release states.
"We had a very difficult two years," Reinharz said in an interview with the Justice. "We are now well on our way to recovering from them, … and I felt that it was very important to recognize the hard work and hardship that everybody has gone through these past two years and to show the appreciation of the University for everything that they have done."
Apfel wrote in an e-mail to the Justice that he expected the wage freeze will apply to about 36 of 51 faculty and staff who earn $150,000 or more.
Those faculty who reach the $150,000 plateau through summer stipends are not included in the freeze.
Vice President for Human Resources Scott Bemis said that Brandeis has 1,650 faculty and staff employees overall but noted that employees of Aramark and mail room staff are not Brandeis employees. Bemis also said he did not know any details about Reinharz's plan.
In previous raise pools, Bemis said, managers in various University departments, including academics and services, would be able to decide the size of an employee's raise based on performance reviews, using money from a set percentage of the unit's overall salary budget reserved for raises.
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