Dear Panther Family,
I truly believe that attending an urban research university offers so much to students who desire an authentic experience in preparation for a career in any major city in the country and world.
Georgia State has the epitome of this type of environment. In this context, we have an obligation to provide a safe environment for our entire community. I am excited that we are able to implement another phase in our compensation planning to create market-competitive salaries for more of our GSU Police Department officers.
Thank you to Jared Abramson, our EVP and COO, for his efforts and to our police department for their dedication and hard work.
All the best,
From the Office of the Chief Operating Officer
To the University Community,
The safety and security of our students, faculty and staff is our highest priority. Georgia State University’s location in downtown Atlanta is one of our greatest assets, as our students have opportunities for valuable experiential learning and visible career pathways, but it can also present significant challenges because of our shared streets and spaces.
Over the past year, Georgia State University Police Chief Anthony Coleman and I have been working on a layered approach to positively influence campus safety and security, including stopgap measures to increase the security presence in areas of campus where we have exposure, as well as working with our Human Resources Administration (HRA) on a permanent plan to augment our existing pay structure to improve our ability to recruit and retain our talent.
We conducted a salary analysis leveraging various external market sources. Our examination included benchmarking against comparable institutions and the Atlanta Police Department, and we also reviewed job postings and public pay plans. Our findings revealed a significant gap between GSU salaries and the market.
At the end of FY2023, the GSU Police Department had 99 vacant positions. In conjunction with HRA, we developed a plan to repurpose 47 positions that had been vacant for more than 12 months to revise the salary structure by increasing compensation levels and enhancing the police career ladder. The revised structure aims to align with market standards and fairly compensate employees based on their skills and experience. This new structure will better align with market standards and better reflect the skills, experience and dedication that our officers bring to GSUPD. The new salary structure went into effect April 1.
Having a safe, inviting campus where students, faculty, staff and visitors feel comfortable is fundamental and foundational to achieving our placemaking aspirations, and this new compensation structure is a significant step in the right direction.
L. Jared Abramson
Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer