Administrative Staff Compensation & Benefits
Every year, the Personnel, Welfare and Compensation committee drafts a Compensation and Benefits Request and submits it to University senior leadership for consideration.
This request includes an analysis of the annual Consumer Price Index (CPI), a review of administrative staff accomplishments, compensation increase requests based on the CPI review and accomplishments, benefit change requests and other requests that could make up the overall compensation and benefits package for the following fiscal year.
This process is one that Administrative Staff Council has been doing for over a decade; however, we realize this fact is widely unknown to members outside of those serving on the council.
So in an effort to be more transparent, we have made shifts in this process. Additional improvements to this request process will be implemented next year and beyond. We will do this by collecting your feedback about the current request and the University’s response later this spring.
You can submit feedback by emailing asc@bgsu.edu at any time.
2022-23 Benefits & Morale Survey Results
In October 2022, a survey was conducted at the general ASC meeting and 150 staff members completed it. You can find a public reivew of the data we collected in our online presentation and a comparison of the results that we received in October 2021 at the end of the document.
Letter to Leadership
TO: Sherideen Stoll, C.P.A., Chief Financial Officer
CC: Viva McCarver, Chief Human Resources Officer
Rodney Rogers, Ph.D., President
Joe Whitehead, Ph.D., Senior Vice-President and Provost
FROM: Administrative Staff Council
DATE: April 12, 2024
SUBJECT: Administrative Staff Compensation Request FY25
Included in this request:
The Administrative Staff Council (ASC), and over 800 constituents it represents, takes very seriously its role to advance the mission of Bowling Green State University. In return, we ask for the University to consider the valuable contributions of all its employees, including administrative staff members, in reviewing this request.
This request is founded out of our devotion to our students and our commitment to BGSU. We know BGSU is changing lives and we are proud to be an integral part of the good service the University provides to the public. We thank you for your consideration and commitment to a review of our request.
Compensation Request
We extend our gratitude to the leadership of the University for acknowledging our efforts through continued options for in-person and remote work, reevaluating staff benefits, and granting us the last five days of the year as paid leave. These gestures of recognition have made an impact, and while we understand that BGSU faces its own set of challenges requiring thoughtful decision-making, we identify opportunities for the University to enhance its offerings. Such improvements could support BGSU's ability to attract and retain talented employees. As representatives of the administrative staff, we respectfully submit this request dedicated to ensuring fair and equitable compensation for BGSU's administrative staff.
Bowling Green State University’s current and continued success reflects the great employees that support this institution and the work that they do to contribute towards our collective goal to be a public university for the public good. Faculty members, classified staff, student staff and administrative staff are all integral parts of this mission, and each of us plays a critical role in maintaining BGSU’s status as a premier institution for learning and employment.
ASC is ready to collaborate with the senior management team to ensure that all University decisions—from policies to processes—are optimally designed and considered thoroughly before being rolled out. We have noticed a positive trend in the dialogue between the ASC and key university leaders, and we are eager to further this relationship by fostering an environment of trust and open communication.
So as an equal part of the overall success of the institution, we are presenting several FY25 requests for consideration. After review, we look forward to Sheri Stoll, Chief Financial Officer, joining a Fall Administrative Staff Council general meeting to provide a summary of decisions made for FY25.
COMPENSATION REQUESTS – EFFECTIVE FY25
7.5% salary increase across the board to move salaries closer to the 2024 Annual Consumer Price Index increase.
We have focused our compensation request on the Consumer Price Index increases to ensure administrative staff can keep up with their rising living expenses.
- The Consumer Price Index shows a 15.1% increase from our FY22 submission to our FY24 submission. Energy prices have increased 14.3%. Food has increased 10.4%
- In the Midwest region food prices have risen 11.4% compared to January 2022 and energy prices increased 12.1%.
- Inflation is expected to peak at 3.1%-3.7% this year, 1.5x the amount of the traditional 2.0%.
To provide additional justification for this request, we would like to note that the average administrative staff salary increase per year is 4.75% below the cost-of-living on average over the past three years and is approximately 14.25% below the cost of living. We are requesting a 7.5% salary increase to partially offset the 14.25% rise in living costs over the past three years. While we recognize the financial constraints of the university, this request aims to support our members' purchasing power and personal wellbeing amidst escalating expenses. Future requests may follow as we continue to address these challenges. As we strive to be a public university for the public good, administrative staff members are working hard to be innovative and resourceful in finding new ways to better serve our students, campus partners, and the Bowling Green and Erie County Communities. We envision the university supporting our staff at a level consistent with the excellence of the collective work that we do as the largest employer in Wood County.
Benefit Request
Over the last few years, we have created a survey and sampled a small group of administrative staff to assess what is important to them as it relates to compensation and benefits. The responses have been shared with senior leadership, and the University has taken some steps to implement them. To further align ASC and our role with representing administrative staff, we have appointed individuals from the ASC Personnel Welfare & Compensation sub-committee to PACHWI. We appreciate the steps that have been taken and are submitting the following prioritized requests;
- BGSU should make a permanent benefit to have limited operations and be closed the last five typically scheduled workdays of the calendar year. The days will be paid time off for employees. For those staff members whose duties do not accommodate this winter break time-off, they may work with their supervisors to take an alternate five days off by June 30. Making this a permanent benefit would also help with staff recruiting efforts, saves the university on energy costs, and allows time for some building maintenance to be completed.
- BGSU should undergo a wage audit for staff. This audit would realign job duties and wages. This was postponed due to the pandemic shutdown. Wage audits are important for the following reasons: ○ Promoting Equity and Fairness: Wage audits help identify pay disparities within an organization, including those based on gender, ethnicity, or any other non-merit-based factors.
- Enhancing Employee Morale and Retention: When employees feel that they are fairly and transparently compensated, their job satisfaction and morale improve leading to higher rates of retention.
- Attracting Talent: Employers known for fair and transparent compensation practices are more likely to attract potential employees.
- Strategic Planning and Budgeting: Wage audits can provide valuable data for organizational planning and budgeting. Understanding the current state of distribution of wages across different departments and job roles can help in making informed decisions about resource allocation, compensation adjustments, and strategic hiring.
- Weekly meal swipes for all BGSU dining services facilities and, expand program to include an equitable equivalent for staff on the Firelands campus, Sandusky Resort and Attraction Management, and Levis Commons such as food trucks and boxed lunches from dining services. These initiatives include an equitable equivalent for staff at the Fireland campus, Sandusky Resort and Attraction Management, and Levis Commons help bolster employee welfare, inclusivity, and community building initiatives amongst administrative staff.
- BGSU should provide increased workload stipends for employees with increased workloads outside of their normal duties. 85% of administrative staff surveyed in 2023 responded favorably to stipends for increased workloads. These increases in workload could be a result of vacancies, long-term absences, special projects, etc. These increases should be issued regardless of whether the interim title listed in policy 3341-5-3 is designated.
- Enforce mandatory annual performance evaluations for supervisors. This practice is addressed in merit policy 3341-5-5; mandatory enforcement would help address concerns from staff members who have not received evaluations for multiple years.
- Revise the university parental leave policy to exclude holidays from the total leave count and increase paid leave from 5 to 6 weeks to align with benefits offered by peer institutions.
- Include the term bereavement leave as a recognized category within the university's medical and sick leave policies. This minor change to university policy would help create transparency around the leave request process.
Annual Request Comparison FY10-FY23
To provide additional justification for this request and future requests, we are providing Administrative Staff the following information so you can understand what has been requested through this process over the years and can compare it to what was actually approved by leadership.
Administrative Staff Council uses the Consumer Price Index (CPI) to compare cost of living increases to our annual salary increases. Historical CPI reports can be located on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics website.
Unfortunately, historical records are missing but we have included everything we have access to at this time.
Takeaways from this report
- Over the past 3 years, the CPI has increased 16.9% and Administrative Staff salaries have increased by 7.75% (9.15% below CPI)
- Over the past 5 years, the CPI has increased 20.6% and Administrative Staff salaries have increased by 9.75%. (10.85% below CPI)
- Over the past 10 years, the CPI has increased 27.4% and Administrative Staff salaries have increased by 19.25%. (8.15% below CPI)
- Over the past 14 years, the CPI has increased 36.1% and Administrative Staff salaries have increased by 25.5%. (10.6% below CPI)
- The following report does not take into account the rising cost of insurance premiums over the years.
| YEAR | ASC REQUEST SUBMITTED | INCREASE GRANTED | CONSUMER PRICE INDEX |
| FY25 | 7.5% salary increase across the board to move salaries closer to the 2024 Annual Consumer Price Index increase. | TBD - Typically in June. | TBD January 2025 |
| FY24 | 3.75% salary increase across the board to move salaries closer to the 2024 Annual Consumer Price Index increase. | 2.5% salary adjustment and:
|
3.4% |
| FY23 | 4% salary increase across the board to move salaries closer to the 2021 Consumer Price Index increase. |
2.75% salary adjustment and:
No gratidude pay was offered this year, like the previous year. |
6.5% |
| FY22 | 2.3% salary increase across the board to match 2019 Consumer Price Index increase. An additional 1.4 % salary increase across the board to match the 2020 Consumer Price Index increase. If both cost of living increases we are requesting are not approved for FY22, the University will enact a formal, written plan that will proactively increase administrative staff’s wages over the next three years by 4%. Review the full FY22 Request |
2.5% salary adjustment and:
|
7.0% |
| FY21 | 2.3% salary increase across the board to match 2019 Consumer Price Index increase. An additional 1% merit pool for division leaders to disseminate to administrative staff who exceed expectations in their roles. |
0% Salary Adjustment
|
1.4% |
| FY20 | 3% across the board and 1% pooled raise. – “Allocate to administrative staff members who go above and beyond to advance the mission of BGSU as a public university for the public good. May also be used for more tenured administrative staff to move them closer to the control point established for their respective pay grade.” | 2% | 2.3% |
| FY19 | “We request a 3% across the board raise. We additionally request $1,000 added to every Administrative Staff employee’s base salary or up to the employee's pay grade midpoint to address income inequality.” | 2% | 1.9% |
| FY18 | “We request a 4 % merit increase to every BGSU Administrative Staff employee’s base salary. We have received raises, on average, below inflation, and were required furloughs to assist the University in times of financial need.” |
2% | 2.1% |
| FY17 | No request on record. | 2.5% | 1.4% |
| FY16 | No request on record. | 2% | -0.1% |
| FY15 | A salary increase of 3% (or higher if Faculty and Classified staff raises are higher than 3%) and a one-time salary increase of $1,500 to offset healthcare increases. | 1% | 1.5% |
| FY14 | “A minimum salary increases of 3% is requested for FY13 and bring all administrative staff currently between the minimum of their salary range but below the control point to the control point for that range.” |
2% | 1.6% |
| FY13 | No request on record. | 2% | 2.9% |
| FY12 | 4% across the board, flat $2,000 raise to make up for furloughs and increase healthcare costs – “Requesting a raise consistent with Faculty and Classified Staff” | 1.25% | 1.6% |
| FY11 | 3% across the board (consistent with faculty and classified staff), $1,500 flat raise. | 1% | 2.6% |
Updated: 05/17/2024 01:27PM