AAUP Update: Faculty Council Update on Faculty Salary Study

As many of you are aware, the College recently reviewed and is making adjustments to some staff member salaries. However, many may not know that the College has now undertaken a review of full-time faculty compensation. Given the scarcity of information on this subject, the Faculty Council asked Mr.  Robert Roop, Chief HR Officer, and Ms. Heather Pratt, Director of Employee and Labor Relations, to attend a Faculty Council meeting and provide updates.

Council members and visiting constituents posed a number of questions regarding the details of the review, including but not limited to: what methodology will be used for the salary study, what the timeline is, what the communication plan is for informing faculty about the study, and what faculty can expect. While many answers did not provide specific detail, we were told the following in response to council and constituent questions.

•  Mr. Roop and Ms. Pratt assured the Faculty Council that the Senior Administrative Leadership team has promised that no faculty salaries will be reduced;
•  Mr. Roop and Ms. Pratt assured the Council that the Senior Administrative Leadership team has promised no faculty will lose their positions;
• The intended outcome of the study is to adjust the minimum and maximum salaries in accordance with what is seen as market value;
• It is neither a goal nor an expected outcome of the study that faculty will be paid on different scales depending on discipline;
• The methodology is the same as was used in the staff study. The College also expects to conduct ongoing market analysis every 12-18 months;
• The College is exploring the legality of implementing the salary range adjustments without renegotiating the contract;
•  Mr. Roop estimated the cost of the staff study to be around 200-300K; he was less clear on the cost of the faculty study, but thought it to be lower;
• The study is looking at colleges and universities nationwide and adjusting the results for the cost of living in this area. However, a faculty member pointed out that while the cost-of-living ‘bump’ in the College study is 13.5%, the Federal Government’s Office of Personnel Management uses 24% as its own regional benchmark;
• Presentations to faculty were intended to be scheduled only after the study is complete because staff information sessions were initially poorly attended and because all information is not yet available. Council members strongly suggested that it would be advisable to provide information as it becomes available so as not to blindside the faculty
• There are contractual/bargaining elements that will need to be considered and/or negotiated prior to implementation of any study findings
• A request was made by Mr. Roop and Ms. Pratt for the Faculty Council to help with ideas for keeping faculty informed.

We encourage you to look for communication from Mr. Roop regarding this issue; the Council will be following up with him and will keep you updated as the situation progresses. Note: The Human Resources Compensation website appears to be directed at staff, not faculty. We are in touch with Mr.Roop regarding this and will provide information as soon as we receive it.

If you have questions regarding this issue, please email  Alan.Stover@montgomerycollege.edu, our Faculty Issues Committee Chair, so that the Council can follow up.