The average salary of faculty at four-year public colleges and universities in West Virginia is $53,781, $7,835 less than the average for the southern region and $12,505 less than the national average.

At WVU , the average salary of faculty (all ranks) is $61,860, $9,032 less than southern region and $13,651 below the national average.

The Higher Education Policy Commission reviewed the figures Friday (Aug. 5) as it prepares its fiscal year 2007 appropriations request.

Commission staff will determine the cost of a five-year plan, similar to one adopted in 1995, to increase not only faculty, but classified employee salaries as well.

HEPC also received a report Friday on merit components of faculty salaries. Commission guidelines call for all or a substantial portion of faculty salary increases to be based on merit. At WVU , the faculty salary policy provides for all salary increase funds to be awarded on the basis of merit.

In other business, HEPC heard an update from WVU President David C. Hardesty Jr. on the integration of Potomac State College as a division of WVU .

“The transition has gone very smoothly,”Hardesty said.”Enrollment is up, and we expect it to climb even higher when a new 250-bed residence hall is completed at Potomac State.”

The integration of the two schools is expected to result in an annual cost savings of $400,000-$500,000, University officials said.

Also Friday, HEPC :

agreed to seek input from the various colleges and universities on a proposal to require all bachelor’s degree graduates of a state four-year institution to be competent in a language other than English beginning with the entering freshman class in August 2009. Commissioners want to see the estimated cost of such a program before proceeding further.

approved $100,000 in social justice grants. WVU was awarded $5,500 for a program to train people how to deal with difficult situations. The goal of the program, called NOVA , is to improve the level of respect and mutual understanding among students, faculty and staff.

OK’d fiscal year 2006 operating budgets for both the commission and West Virginia Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research.

appointed commission member Mike Garrison to serve on the state Educational Broadcasting Authority.

swore in new commission member Steve Paine, who is the new state school superintendent. Paine replaces David Stewart, who retired. A resolution was adopted honoring Stewart for his contributions to HEPC .

The commission’s next regular meeting will be in October.