NIU faculty and staff salaries will increase by about 8 percent retroactive to July 1, as a result of a tax increase proposed by House Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago, and Senate Majority Leader Phil Rock, D-Oak Park.

Gov. James Thompson signed the temporary 20-percent income tax increase “that will increase personal and corporate income taxes … and result in significant new resources for Northern and our sister public institutions of higher education,” said NIU President John La Tourette.

The salary increase will not be seen on pay checks until this month. The delay will allow NIU to incorporate a “catch-up component” in the salary plan, so NIU can reverse what La Tourette called an “erosion” in public funding for higher education.

This decline and the accompanying salary levels have contributed to NIU not being competitive with similar universities. Professional staff salaries were compared with 45 peer universities in Illinois. Professional staff include positions such as director of registration and records, computer center staff and masters and doctoral professionals. Operational staff members also will receive a pay increase.