RMU faculty scale back raises to boost financial aid - Pittsburgh Business Times:

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The union that representsw faculty at theMoon Township-bases institution agreed to forgo more than half of their 2.75 percent salaryh increases for the 2009-10 academic year to let the universith shift $180,000 into scholarships for new and returnint students, Robert Morris announcedc Monday. “We wanted to make a contributionj to thecampus community. It is gratifying for us to do somethin tohelp students,” read a statement from Sean president of the Faculty Local 3412 of the , which represents about 145 RMU professors and other instructors. These faculty members will now receivse abouta 1.
3 percent increase to their base Ninety percent of RMU studentd receive some sort of financial aid, the schoolo said. “Our faculty were under no obligation to take this which is a testament to how deeplh they care for their PresidentGregory Dell’Omo said in a statement. “Many of our studentx and their families have been hit hard bythe nation’zs economic crisis, and our faculty, staff and administrators are makinhg sacrifices to ensure that those students will be able to continu e their education.” In addition to 15 percenr spending cuts since the fall, the universithy has halted all hiring for staff though it continues to hire faculty.
In Dell’Omo announced a freeze on salaries forall non-faculty staff, including himself and otherd senior administrators. In all, these cuts will help create a total financiakl aid pool ofabout $16 million for the coming schoop year, the university said.