Regents approve NAU salary plan
The Arizona Board of Regents today approved a plan for salary increases at Northern Arizona University.

The unanimous vote allows NAU to distribute more than $2 million in salary adjustments in FY05.

"We hope to begin bringing salaries up to market rate," NAU President John Haeger said.

NAU's plan will include a $1,000 per FTE increase for classified staff and service professionals. Administrators will receive $1,000 per FTE except deans and above, who are excluded from annual raises. Part-time faculty salaries will be increased by $110 per credit hour.

The university already has committed to benefits-eligible faculty raises that will range between $2,000 and $5,000 per FTE, and to academic professional staff increases that will range between $2,300 and $2,600.

Task Force submits plan for redesigning university system
The Northern Arizona Task Force on Higher Education has submitted for campus and community input a plan to redesign Arizona's university system that has four freestanding state universities and leaves the door open for community colleges to become four-year institutions as the population growth may require.

The plan builds upon the original redesign proposal currently under study by the Arizona Board of Regents. The original plan proposes two state research institutions and a regional university system.

Under the task force plan, NAU would remain a "doctoral intensive university" and Arizona State University and the University of Arizona would remain "doctoral extensive universities." ASU-West would become a separate institution with its classification to be determined.

The classifications are based on the Carnegie Foundations ratings and are rooted in the number of graduate programs offered.

The proposal also factors in community college partnerships and allows for the possibility of certain community colleges becoming baccalaureate institutions.

The task force has 13 NAU members, including faculty, staff and students, and seven community members.

The plan's outline was unveiled during a campus and community forum this afternoon. For a complete look, go to www.nau.edu/aborplan. Send feedback to HigherEd@nau.edu by 9 a.m. June 30.