Delaware State University President Harry Williams is once again putting employee raises at the top of his budget agenda after last year’s calls went unanswered by state lawmakers.
Williams pegged a four percent, across-the-board salary increase as his top priority in the university’s proposed operating budget for next year.
The Joint Finance Committee punted on last year’s request, which only targeted classified employees.
Williams says that many of their lower paid, full-time employees rely on government assistance programs, although he noted that even this raise, if approved, wouldn’t fully solve that problem.
“It’s going to help. We’re still going to need some support even the next year. It’s not going to put them at the top where they need to be, but this is a start,” Williams told the committee.
University officials are asking for $7.6 million dollars over their guaranteed base budget for a total request of $44.2 million.
Other priorities in the DSU proposal include competitive research match funding, and money to cover operating expenses at the newly relocated DSU Wilmington branch.
