Less Pain, Some Gain in State Budget

A pay raise, more vacation time and additional funds for the new Hunt Library are just some of the benefits for NC State included in the budget enacted by the legislature effective July 1.

Charles Leffler, vice chancellor for finance and business, says this budget is an improvement on previous years. “I’m pleased to see some forward movement in all categories,” he says. “We appreciate what the General Assembly did for us.”

Here are the highlights.

NC State will receive $3.95 million in new state funds to help drive enrollment growth.

All employees hired before July 1 will receive a recurring 1.2 percent salary increase. SPA employees will receive the raise starting with July’s paycheck; EPA employees will receive the raise the next month with July’s raise included retroactively. This marks the first adjustment in four years. The increase is more for many employees than the one-time $300 increase per employee recommended by the House.

All full-time employees who currently earn annual leave will receive five additional paid vacation days to be used by June 30, 2013. “This is good news for employees. Don’t leave these on the table. I want everybody to take them,” Leffler says. If the leave isn’t taken by June 30, 2013, it will lapse; there will be no cash payout for employees who do not take their bonus leave days.

More than $2 million in recurring funds and nearly $1 million in non-recurring funds were allocated for maintenance and operations at the new Hunt Library, scheduled to open in January. Additionally, the Hunt Library, pictured at top of page, will receive $1 million to help cover new library staff. “This money is critical for helping the library open,” Leffler says.

Funding for retaining and recruiting faculty will be well used, especially as counteroffers to faculty are increasingly common, says Steve Keto, associate vice chancellor for finance and resource management. The university will receive a portion of the $3 million allocated to the UNC system.