Pastides says USC raising pay for some employees, on pace for record number of applicants
Hourly employees in permanent positions at the University of South Carolina will get more money in their paychecks starting Jan. 1, the flagship university’s interim president shared in a video highlighting the state of the college.
It was not immediately clear how many employees will benefit from the raise and the amount of the raise.
“We also aim to be among the state’s best employers,” Pastides said in the video Wednesday, “and to do that we must attract and retain good employees with competitive wages.”
In June, the Legislature adopted a spending plan that included money to raise state employee pay by 2.5%. It also included millions to help universities keep tuition rates frozen for the upcoming academic year.
That money allowed USC to keep tuition rates frozen for the fourth year in a row, Pastides said.
“We’re in sound financial shape,” Pastides said. “We’re sensitive to the economic environment that affects our students and their families.”
Pastides also said the school has requested $670 million in federal American Rescue Plan Act money to expand health sciences education, improve campus utilities and information technology and invest in maintenance projects around the campus.
And in what Pastides said was more positive news, the school recorded its second-largest freshman class. The school is up 13% on applications for next year’s incoming class.
“We’re already on track this fall for a record number of freshmen applications for 2022,” Pastides said.
This story was originally published November 26, 2021 at 1:44 PM.
