Lack of resources stall staff raises
Patrick Boquard
Issue date: 2/9/07 Section: News
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Sister Margaret Carney, O.S.F, university president, wrote in a letter to faculty and staff Dec. 8, 2006 that compensation increases for the 2006-07 fiscal year will not be offered.
"The reaction to the letter was that it seemed to hop over another reason," faculty senator Carole McNall said. "The letter could have been: Here's the problem and we can deal with that. We're all grown-ups. We can deal with the problem."
McNall, assistant professor of journalism and mass communication, said the faculty senate is unable to set policies concerning the salaries of university faculty and staff members.
The faculty senate compensation committee discusses salaries and benefits issues with university administration. The faculty senate does not have legislative power to control salaries.
"The administration said salary raises and increases are a priority in the next budget," Jeff Peterson, faculty senate finance committee chair, said.
Carney's letter informed faculty and staff that in the late spring or early summer of the 2007-08 fiscal year, faculty compensation increases will be announced.
Peterson would not disclose the average salary for a university professor.
"A salary is a personal issue. A faculty's rank, such as a lecturer or professor, the discipline they teach in and how long they have been here affect salaries," Peterson said.
"We're not as high as some, but our retirement contributions are better than others," Peterson said.
The university's retirement contribution is 10 percent of a faculty member's salary. The percentage is calculated after the faculty has had two years experience at the university and is the same regardless of faculty member's rank or discipline.
Brenda Snow, vice president for business and finance, said she did not have specific information regarding the average salary a university professor is paid.
"We would love for our faculty to be in the upper echelon of faculty compensation," Snow wrote in an e-mail. "But there's just no way to ignore the resources needed to make that happen. We're doing everything we can to assure our financial health as an institution and to make pay increases a priority."
"The reaction to the letter was that it seemed to hop over another reason," faculty senator Carole McNall said. "The letter could have been: Here's the problem and we can deal with that. We're all grown-ups. We can deal with the problem."
McNall, assistant professor of journalism and mass communication, said the faculty senate is unable to set policies concerning the salaries of university faculty and staff members.
The faculty senate compensation committee discusses salaries and benefits issues with university administration. The faculty senate does not have legislative power to control salaries.
"The administration said salary raises and increases are a priority in the next budget," Jeff Peterson, faculty senate finance committee chair, said.
Carney's letter informed faculty and staff that in the late spring or early summer of the 2007-08 fiscal year, faculty compensation increases will be announced.
Peterson would not disclose the average salary for a university professor.
"A salary is a personal issue. A faculty's rank, such as a lecturer or professor, the discipline they teach in and how long they have been here affect salaries," Peterson said.
"We're not as high as some, but our retirement contributions are better than others," Peterson said.
The university's retirement contribution is 10 percent of a faculty member's salary. The percentage is calculated after the faculty has had two years experience at the university and is the same regardless of faculty member's rank or discipline.
Brenda Snow, vice president for business and finance, said she did not have specific information regarding the average salary a university professor is paid.
"We would love for our faculty to be in the upper echelon of faculty compensation," Snow wrote in an e-mail. "But there's just no way to ignore the resources needed to make that happen. We're doing everything we can to assure our financial health as an institution and to make pay increases a priority."
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