University Times

In years when Pitt can afford cost-of-living raises, should staff members whose supervisors rate their job performances as “satisfactory,” or better, automatically get such raises? Or, should exceptions to that guideline be made (and salary increases denied) for staff who have reached the top of the pay scales for their job classifications? Those conflicting approaches […]

WEST CHESTER, Pa. — Testifying together here at a May 2 hearing of the state House appropriations committee, Chancellor Mark Nordenberg and the presidents of Pennsylvania’s three other state-related universities described how cuts in state funding — combined with soaring costs of everything from library materials to employee health insurance — are squeezing their schools […]

The issue of Pennsylvania state-related universities extending health benefits to their employees’ same-sex partners conspicuously did not come up during the House appropriations committee hearing May 2 in West Chester, Pa. On April 1, Temple University became Pennsylvania’s first state-related school to offer access to health benefits to employees’ same-sex partners. Some people in Harrisburg […]

This year’s election for Staff Association Council (SAC) president, to be voted on by SAC members prior to the June 11 meeting, pits incumbent president Barbara “Babs” Mowery against former president Richard Colwell, who currently is SAC vice president for steering. SAC officers serve two-year terms beginning July 1. Mowery, senior academic adviser in the […]

Pitt and Port Authority of Allegheny County officials continue to re-negotiate a contract for ride-for-free service for Pittsburgh campus employees and students, despite the consensus that Port Authority service will be severely cut back due to budget shortfalls. Pitt and the Port Authority have a renewable contract that runs until July 31, 2006. But the […]

A Senate committee is satisfied with recent changes in Pittsburgh campus building engineers’ schedules, but the faculty member who complained about the system is not. The 21 day-shift building engineers now are assigned on a rotating basis to cover the campus’s 62 buildings, instead of having dedicated engineers assigned to specific buildings. Lewis Jacobson of […]

Having given up — for now — on faculty and staff gaining access to exercise at the Petersen Events Center’s Bill Baierl Student Recreation Center, University Senate leaders are asking Chancellor Mark Nordenberg to appoint an advisory committee that would promote recreational services and physical fitness on the Pittsburgh campus. Economics professor Herbert Chesler, who […]

Pitt’s administration is considering reducing the medical insurance coverage the University provides for its retired faculty. Currently, Pitt faculty who retire before age 65 may continue to receive the same medical insurance benefits they got during active employment — until they turn 65. At that point, retirees may choose from several options of insurance that […]