Mike Auchard, a carpenter at Kansas University, worked five years to get Senate Bill 74 signed, and his labors paid off Thursday.

“This has been a long, divisive struggle,” said Auchard, a member of KU’s Classified Senate. “It really feels good it’s over.”

Gov. Kathleen Sebelius signed Senate Bill 74 into law Thursday at the Kansas Union. The bill allows employees at state universities to opt out of the state’s civil service system. KU’s classified employees voted last year to pursue the new system, which leaders said would allow for larger pay increases.

After Sebelius ceremoniously signed the bill on a podium in Alderson Auditorium, about 100 people, including dozens of classified employees, applauded.

“It’s a major accomplishment,” said Dennis Constance, a classified Senate member. “Everyone will benefit for a long time.”

University officials now have more flexibility in establishing job descriptions and pay ranges for classified employees. KU administrators said the system would let them give classified employees a raise larger than the 2.5 percent approved by the Legislature for all state employees. The precise amount of that raise will be determined after KU sets its final budget.

“The obvious benefit is financial, but there’s a lot of new dialogue and conversation going on that wasn’t before,” Constance said. “I think we’ve all learned to appreciate each other’s abilities more.”

Gov. Kathleen Sebelius displays a photo of herself with Kansas University's Baby Jay mascot. The photo was a gift for the governor Thursday at a ceremonial bill-signing of a state law that allows university classified staff members to leave the state civil service system. At right is KU Chancellor Robert Hemenway.

Sebelius praised KU administrators and classified staff for their work to get the bill passed.

“I am really pleased for KU to take the lead,” Sebelius said. “I think it will set the stage for a far broader discussion in the future.”

Reggie Robinson, president of the Kansas Board of Regents, spoke after the signing and called Thursday “a great day for Kansas.”

“Because Senate Bill 74 has been signed into law, universities now have an important role that they can use to manage their classified staff, and really to manage their institutions more effectively, more efficiently and more productively,” Robinson said.

KU Chancellor Robert Hemenway acknowledged the state’s tight budget times and said the bill would be the best thing for all parties involved.

“We’ll be able to put together a more streamlined and modern system,” Hemenway said. “We’ll end up with a product that is good for students and will benefit the faculty.”

6News video: Sebelius signs Senate Bill 74 into law (04-21-05) KU staff anticipate raises by summer (04-12-05) Sebelius signs bill to allow KU classified employees to leave civil service system (04-09-05) Civil service proposal moves to final vote (03-24-05) Bill would allow KU workers to leave civil service (03-10-05) Civil service proposal scrutinized (02-08-05)