From:
Steven Brehe, chair, the Faculty Affairs Committee
Subject:Recommendation
of a review of faculty salaries
Date:
February 3, 2003
In
response to a request from a faculty member, the Faculty Affairs committee
strongly recommends that the Faculty Senate reopen the issue of inequity
in faculty salaries.
Some
background: During the Sherman Day administration, an extensive study of
NGCSU faculty salaries was conducted.Although
the committee does not have a copy of this study at hand, we recall that
the study showed that University faculty who were full professors with
lengthy service to the University were in most cases seriously underpaid,
as indicated by several comparative measures.
As
a result of this study, the Day administration made one adjustment to some
salaries to correct this situation partially.This
was intended as the first of several adjustments to be made, but for reasons
that the committee does not know, no other adjustments were forthcoming.There
is, therefore, every reason to believe that some, perhaps many, NGCSU faculty
who have served the University for many years are still seriously underpaid
by every conceivable measure.
In
the 2000-2001 the Academic Affairs Committee attempted to reexamine this
issue, but that effort stalled.
The
Faculty Affairs Committee makes the strongest possible recommendation that
the Senate reexamine this issue at the earliest possible opportunity.We
recommend that this reexamination be conducted as preparation for correcting,
on a case-by-case basis, such salary inequities. This should be the first
priority of this effort.
Secondarily,
the new study should examine larger issues of faculty compensation critically,
answering such questions as this:Is
the present system of compensation, rewards, and incentives sufficient?How
does it compare with systems of compensation elsewhere in Georgia, in the
Southeastern U.S., and in the nation?As
NGCSU faculty acquire ten, twenty, and more years of experience, how do
their salaries compare with the salaries of colleagues at similar institutions
statewide, regionally, and nationally?The
committee feels certain that the Senate will agree that these questions
are important to the future of the University and its faculty and require
careful, reliable answers.
The
committee is ready to help in this matter in any way it can.