Regents approve
faculty raisesThe contract calls for UH to pay
$39 million in the last three years
The University of Hawaii Board of Regents approved yesterday the contract settlement that will give UH faculty a 31 percent pay raise over six years, but asked the university administration to look at alternatives to raising tuition to pay the university's share of the contract.
The contract calls for the university to contribute $39 million toward salaries during the last three years of the agreement.
Regents Chairwoman Pat Lee said the board, especially student regent Trent Kakuda, had concerns about having to raise tuition in 2006 to help fund the pay raises.
"I'd like the administration to come up with a plan on how to increase revenues and save money other than a tuition increase so that it's not an automatic given that tuition is going to be increased," Lee said.
Lee said there is a possibility that the federal government will fund some students who now get tuition waivers. She said workload and out-of-state tuition are other areas where the university might be able to save money or generate more revenue.
The contract must also be approved by the 3,000 members of the University of Hawaii Professional Assembly at a ratification vote next week.
The regents met yesterday in executive session to discuss the contract settlement and the possible release of UH President Evan Dobelle's evaluation from last year.
Lee said the board will make an announcement at 5 p.m. today about the release of the evaluation.
Last week, the state Office of Information Practices issued an opinion that the evaluation is a public document, but asked that the regents not release the document for five business days to allow Dobelle the opportunity to file a lawsuit to stop its release.