In June, Missouri Southern announced across the board raises for faculty and staff.

According to Faculty Senate president Linda Hand, the raises lower tension and raises morale.  

Raises for the University’s faculty and staff went into effect in July.

Mo. Gov. Jay Nixon’s final budget, which was initially feared to be significantly short, included some extra funds.

“The faculty and staff did not have to ask for them because the MSSU Board of Governors had said all year that the raises for them were a high priority,” Hand said.

“When the Board got word from the governor about the appropriations, Dr. Buchanan, the chair of the board, called a special meeting in which they announced the three percent raise.”

 The raise is what they call “across the board” because all faculty and staff were given the raise.  

Faculty and staff were not only happy about the raises, they were relieved.

The tension has been high and the morale has been low around campus for a variety of reasons, and staff believe that the raises have helped to calm things down quite a bit.  

“More importantly, giving raises is not just about more money, but it is an acknowledgement that the job you are doing is appreciated by your superiors and what you do is worth doing,” Hand said.  

The raises went into effect immediately on the next pay period following the announcement.