Mead OKs nearly all University of Wyoming’s $19.4M request

LARAMIE, WY. (AP) — Outgoing Wyoming Gov. Matt Mead has approved nearly all of the University of Wyoming’s $19.4 supplemental budget request.

The Laramie Boomerang reports he even is requesting an additional $2.5 million to help support pay raises for university staff.

Mead said Monday he initiated that proposal after meeting with University of Wyoming President Laurie Nichols, when he became “most concerned about the employees outside of the professors who have not received raises.”

If the Wyoming Legislature appropriates the $2.5 million in pay raises, Mead says he expects the funding will be used “primarily to address market pay gaps in classified positions.”

The only request from the university that the governor did not approve was a request for $350,000 annually to fund the Natural Diversity Database.

The budget proposals will need approval during the Legislature’s 2019 general session.

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Information from: Laramie Boomerang, http://www.laramieboomerang.com