Owens board extends 2004 college budget to fiscal 2005

6/16/2004

FINDLAY - The Owens Community College board of trustees agreed yesterday to continue its 2004 operating budget into the next fiscal year until labor negotiations are completed and compensation and other costs are known.

Chuck Mann, senior vice president of business affairs, said it is typical for the college to roll over its budget from one year to the next and then make changes as needed. The college, whose board met at its Findlay campus, has an operating budget of about $85 million. Negotiations continue with the Owens Faculty Association, whose members are working under a contract that expired in February.

In other business, the board reaffirmed pay increases approved last year for two top administrators.

Provost Paul Unger's salary will rise 6.7 percent from $124,421 to $132,721. This is the second of three years of increases to bring his pay into line with the market, officials said.

Mr. Mann's salary will increase 5.1 percent from $131,289 to $138,039 in the second of two years of increases for the same purpose.

Mr. Unger announced during the meeting that Owens today will host Michael Brown, undersecretary of homeland security for emergency preparedness and response. He is speaking at 2 p.m. at the Perrysburg Township campus in the Audio/Visual Classroom Center as part of a public town hall meeting.