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T U S C A L O O S A , N O R T H P O R T, W E S T A L A B A M A
WWW.TUSCALOOSANEWS.COM
Shelton IT salaries up
Weather-related wrecks claimed nine lives in Ala. 4 of victims had ties to West Alabama By Stephanie Taylor Staff Writer
Officials: Revamped IT equated higher pay with staff retention By Ed Enoch Staff Writer
Officials at Shelton State Community College and the Alabama Community College System say salary increases — some as much as $20,000 — for information technology positions at the two-year campus in Tuscaloosa were necessary following an expansion of responsibilities under an overhaul of the computer system and because of the need to offer more competitive pay to retain staff. Alabama Community College System Chancellor Mark Heinrich characterized the changes as a move by the college to align itself with the current market.
“I T and technolog y has cha nged so d ra mat ic a l ly. Frankly, we were left in the dust. We were way behind,” he said. “As we understood more what the market was offering, we had to do a much better job of paying market value.” The college listed 16 positions — 13 existing positions filled by current staff that were being reorganized and three new — in August on its website under full-time openings. Five of the positions changed titles and three new positions were created, according to Shelton State Interim President Joan Davis. There were 53 applicants for the 16 positions listed on the website during the open hiring pro-
cess, in which Davis said the existing staff had to reapply for their reorganized positions. The existing 13 employees were rehired into the reorganized positions during the fall and winter, and two of the new positions have been fi lled, according to Shelton State’s personnel records. The Shelton State employees whose positions were listed for rehire did not return requests f o r c o m m e nt a b o u t t h e changes. The increases generally fall within the spectrum of salaries for similar positions statewide and nationally, though a handful are higher than the median SEE S ALARIES | 4A
IT positions and salaries at Shelton State Community College Assistant Dean of IT Services
(Director of IT Services)
Network
Telecommunications
Specialist
(Net./Telecom. Assistant Specialist)
(Clerk II)
73 .9 K
(ITS-Admin. Support Super.)
(Computer Software Dev.)
52 .1K
K 51 .2
K 44 .1K
NEW SALARY
OLD SALARY
NEW SALARY
OLD SALARY
NEW SALARY
OLD SALARY
NEW SALARY
OLD SALARY
NEW SALARY
OLD SALARY
NEW SALARY
20
OLD SALARY
(Dir. of Online Media)
U TO 80,9110 UP
UP TOO 81,860 8 NEW SALARY
*Salaries are approximates and are based on tables for the two-year system and the salary schedules for the employees posted by Shelton State. Figures were collected as of Jan. 14, 2014. **Due to the high variance in salary for this position, the median salary may be skewed.
29 .8
40
UP TO T 866,663
UP TOO 86,663 6
53 K
$THOUSAND
80 60
Director of Online and Electronic Media
OLD SALARY
50 .4 K
NEW SALARY
45 .9 K
Software Development Manager 76 K
Lab and Peripheral Database Devices Specialist Administrator
OLD SALARY
38 .7K
OLD SALARY
48 .6 K
63 .4
OLD SALARY
NEW SALARY
Enterprise Resource Supervisor 88 K
K 88
$100
53 K
Instructional Support Supervisor
77 .4 K
Server Manager
OLD SALARY
OLD SALARY
NEW SALARY
OLD SALARY
20
NEW SALARY
40
Document Imaging Supervisor**
NEW SALARY
94 .8
77 .4 K
75 .7K
New Position
60
52 .1K
80 47 .7K
$THOUSAND
$100
(Desktop/Telecom Specialist)
Network Manager
Median Salary National (Former Title)
10 3. 8
Enterprise Resource Technician
Desktop Support Technician
Median Salary Alabama
72 .4
Salary Range
NEW SALARY
Salary*
Source: Shelton State, Alabama Community College System, Bureau of Labor Statistics
STAFF GRAPHICS | ANTHONY BRATINA
INSIDE: VOL. 196 | NO. 33 | 8 Sections
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Bridge 5F Business 1D Classifieds 1F Crossword 3E
Dear Abby 2E Horoscope 2E Ideas & Issues 4D Lend A Hand 11B
Sports 1C Television 1H Today 1E Weather 12B
N.J. Christie fires back at accuser | 3A
High 65 Low 41
Alabama State Troopers say nine people were killed in seven weatherrelated crashes during the ice storm that debilitated much of the state last week. Two of the fatalities occurred in Tuscaloosa. Charles Kelly Meiklejohn, 57, of Gulf Shores, and Nahum Terrance Mickles, 39, of Foley, died when the GMC pickup Meiklejohn was driving slid on icy roads and into the path of an oncoming train on Larry Noland Road near Cottondale. In Perry County, Emma Evans, 64, died in a collision north of Marion. Desi Patterson, 43, was killed while driving from his home in Montgomery to work at the Bibb County Correctional Facility in Brent. “Our hearts are very heavy. We lost a veteran correctional offi cer
but, more importantly, a caring husband and father,” Corrections Commissioner Kim Thomas said in a written release. “Officer Desi Patterson left his home in hazardous conditions to protect and serve our state. His sense of duty is indicative of all DOC employees, and it greatly saddens me to see such professionalism rewarded with loss.” Patterson wrecked on an icy area of U.S. Highway 82 West in Chilton County. Officer Patterson began his career w ith the Depar tment of Corrections Desi on Aug. 1, 1998. He Patterson is survived by his wife, Shanetha, and sons, Quinton, 22, and Jalen, 15. One other fatal crash occurred in Chilton County, said Alabama State Troopers spokesman Sgt. Steve Jarrett. Two people died after a crash in Elmore County. Crashes with one fatality each occurred in Bullock and DeKalb counties.
Police: Man dead after stabbing by brother By Stephanie Taylor Staff Writer
Investigators are searching for a motive after they say a man stabbed and killed his brother early Saturday morning. Fredrick Lavelle Sledge, 39, is accused of stabbing his brother, Kenneth Darnell Sledge, 37, at a residence off Skyland Boulevard near McFarland Boulevard. Police called to the 4700 block of Fifth Avenue East at 1 a.m. found Kenneth Sledge lying in the street with a stab wound to his chest, said Tuscaloosa County Metro Homicide Unit commander Sgt. Dale Phillips. Sledge was transported to DCH Regional
Med ic a l C ent er, where he later died. Fredrick Sledge later arrived at DCH Regional Medical Center seeking treatment for a small cut to his back. Investigators arrested him after he was treated. Fredrick L. He remained in the Sledge alTuscaloosa County legedly Jail Saturday morn- killed his ing with bail set at brother. $75,000. “The motive for the incident is unknown at this time,” Phillips said Saturday morning. “The investigation is continuing.”
Ala. bill aims to drug test lawmakers Sen. Trip Pittman: ‘It’s a fairness issue’ By Phillip Rawls
The Associated Press
MONTGOMERY | With a fi rst name like “Trip,” an Alabama senator was bound to prompt jokes by pushing a bill mandating drug testing for legislators. But Sen. Trip Pittman says he’s serious.
FILE | THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Sen. Trip Pittman, R-Daphne, talks with other lawmakers at the Alabama Statehouse.
“It’s a fairness issue,” the Republican from Daphne said. Pittman said he proposed legislative drug testing after some lawmakers criticized a bill he introduced to require welfare applicants with a misdemeanor or felony drug conviction in the past five years to take a drug test. Anyone who failed three SEE BILL | 4A