Higher ed aims to retain 'key' faculty

With a new governor who stresses economic development in Utah, it was higher education's first chance Thursday to show the 2005 Legislature how it fits into the state's economy.

During a meeting with the Higher Education Appropriations Subcommittee, lawmaker scrutiny fell on a relatively small but potentially pivotal sum of money — $3.75 million in ongoing money to retain "key" faculty and staff at Utah's 10 public institutions of higher education.

"This is in a sense an economic development issue," said Utah Commissioner of Higher Education, Rich Kendell.

USHE's request to establish a fund specifically for addressing critical compensation needs is a first of its kind.

"We can't afford to lose key faculty," Kendell said.

If key researchers, for example, leave Utah institutions for higher paying jobs elsewhere, as much as $10 million in research dollars per person could leave the state as well.

For the University of Utah and Utah State University, the stakes are particularly high when it comes to having the emergency funds available through USHE to pay people more.

Outgoing USU President Kermit Hall recently estimated that over the past four years he has lost about 75 faculty to better paying jobs elsewhere.

In a presentation to lawmakers about certain performance indicators, U. leaders showed that in 2004 the U. brought over $290 million in research grants from outside Utah — that's money being spent in Utah, U. President Michael K. Young pointed out.

The question on Kendell's mind is whether Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. expects his proposed $19 million for higher education compensation needs to include the $3.75 million request or if the governor would favor a separate block grant.

But one more chunk of money under the control of USHE and the State Board of Regents caused concern for Rep. Margaret Dayton, R-Orem. She asked Kendell what percentage of higher education's budget is being doled out by regents and what he thought that percentage should be.

"I don't know what the optimal percentage is," Kendell replied.

He and other education officials will be expected to give lawmakers more answers on that and on how money for compensation increases is distributed among various levels of staff and faculty to gauge equity in pay raises.

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E-mail: sspeckman@desnews.com