\n\tBy LINDSAY RODZWICZ<\/p>\n
\n\tStaff Council recognizes and celebrates Pitt\u2019s many achievements and the incredible day-to-day work that staff do to advance the University\u2019s mission. \u00a0Record applications and enrollment<\/a>, a top-20 national ranking in research spending<\/a>, and a thriving academic reputation in the top 2% of universities worldwide<\/a> reflect the strength of the University of Pittsburgh.<\/p>\n \n\tStaff have contributed meaningfully to these outcomes while absorbing increased workloads often without additional compensation and through recent periods of a hiring freeze and continued controlled hiring<\/a>.<\/p>\n \n\tWe further recognize the financial pressures facing the University, including flat state funding, the need to keep tuition increases reasonable, and the uncertainty around research funding and indirect cost rates.\u00a0<\/p>\n \n\tThrough Staff Council\u2019s three seats on the University Budget and Planning committee and our conversations in shared governance with members of administration, we continue to advocate regarding salary and benefits on behalf of non-represented Pitt staff.\u00a0 We are glad to see the return of a University-level pool to support merit, market and equity (MME) adjustments, even if small at 0.5%, to recognize the performance of non-represented staff.\u00a0<\/p>\n \n\tThat said, the 2.0% salary maintenance pool for FY27 for non-represented staff falls short of the 4.4% year-over-year inflation (per the current Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers<\/a> (CPI-W), and we believe this gap deserves continued attention.\u00a0<\/p>\n \n\tOver the past five years, the total salary pool (including MME) has only kept up at 65% to prior year\u2019s CPI-W inflation.<\/p>\n \n\tSummed over these five years, the total salary pool increase was 15.5%, compared to 23.9% CPI-W inflation, meaning the salary pool has covered just 64.85% of cumulative inflation over that period.<\/p>\n \n\tSalaries are being further eroded by this year\u2019s rising costs:<\/p>\n \n\tClosing the gap between real wage growth and the CPI-W would help align practice with the spirit of the University’s Salary Increase Policy<\/a>, which identifies faculty and staff as the University’s most important resource.<\/p>\n \n\tIn the December 2025 University Times<\/a> article, Board of Trustees Chairperson John Verbanac said the officer compensation philosophy \u201caffirms the board\u2019s commitment to attracting, retaining and rewarding officers in an appropriate, reasonable and market-competitive manner, while clearly linking compensation to both organizational and individual performance and to the Plan for Pitt.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n \n\tThis same philosophy must also extend to Pitt staff. A sustainable, competitive compensation model which includes a meaningful annual salary pool that keeps pace with inflation and additional increases in employee expenses is key to recruiting and retaining talented, mission-driven staff, and to fulfilling Pitt’s stated aspiration to be an employer of choice (Strategic Plan for Pitt, Pillar 3.3<\/a>).<\/p>\n \n\tAs one of the largest employers in the Pittsburgh region and a top institution of higher education worldwide, the University has a significant opportunity to lead by example in how staff are valued and compensated. Staff Council looks forward to continuing to work with the administration in shared governance toward a sustainable, long-term approach to non-represented staff compensation.<\/p>\n \n\t\u00a0<\/p>\n \n\tStaff Council serves as a center for input and dissemination of information, provides a means of communication between staff and other members of the Pitt community, and provides opportunities for professional development.\u202f\u00a0<\/p>\n \n\tStaff Council has historically represented the interests of Pitt staff not covered under a collective bargaining agreement and continues to participate in shared governance on campus to advocate for the interests of all staff members on issues not addressed by collective bargaining. Additionally, the Council continues its mission to advocate for unrepresented staff members on all matters.\u202f\u202f\u00a0<\/p>\n \n\tStay informed with the Staff Council newsletter: View past issues and subscribe<\/a>\u202f\u00a0<\/p>\n \n\tStay connected:\u202f\u202f\u202f\u00a0<\/p>\n \n\t\t\tInstagram: @upstaffcouncil\u202f\u202f\u00a0<\/p>\n \n\t\t\tFacebook: @upstaffcouncil\u202f\u202f\u00a0<\/p>\n \n\t\t\tLinkedIn: Pitt Staff Council\u202f\u202f\u00a0<\/p>\n