Faculty Compensation Systems: Impact on the Quality of Higher Education: ASHE-ERIC Higher Education Research Report, Volume 28, Number 2

by Terry P. Sutton; Peter J. Bergerson

• ISBN13: 9780787958343
• ISBN10: 0787958344
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2001-05-01
• Publisher: Jossey-Bass

Summary

In the last few years, higher education institutions have begun to transform their operations from an academic to a business model, justifying their existence much in the same way private businesses do--in terms of profit. Faculty compensation systems are an important academic tool academic administrators can use to control cost, ensure top quality faculty performance, and increase institutional quality as a whole. This book addresses the link between particular faculty compensation systems and their impact on an institution's missions and goals, the factors that influence a faculty member's compensation, and more.

Author Biography

TERRY SUTTON is professor of economics at Southeast Missouri State University. His research and teaching interests include microeconomics, regional economics, and higher education. He was involved in developing the initial faculty merit pay plan at Southeast in the late 1980s and served as chair of the Faculty Senate at Southeast from 1993 to 1996 and again in 2000-01. Through his service on the Faculty Senate, he became interested in faculty compensation systems. He has more than thirty years of experience as a university professor. Sutton received his Ph.D. from Kansas State University. PETER J. BERGERSON is professor and chair of the Department of Political Science at Southeast Missouri State University. His research and teaching interests include public policy, public administration, and American government. His research has resulted in books and articles on ethics and public policy, pedagogical skills, and public administration. Recent research includes work on administrative discretion as a significant element in decision making. He has more than thirty years of experience as a university professor, including sixteen as a department chair. Bergerson received his Ph.D. from Saint Louis University.

Table of Contents

Institutional Quality and Faculty Compensation.

Factors Affecting Faculty Compensation.

Internal Factors Determining Faculty Compensation.

Characteristics of an Ideal Faculty Compensation System.

Compensation: A Historical Perspective.

Faculty Compensation Systems Used in Higher Education.

Contract Salary System or Merit Pay.

Single Salary Schedule.

Nontraditional Faculty Compensation Systems.

Intellectual Rationale for Different Faculty Compensation Systems.

Arguments Supporting a Faculty Merit Compensation System.

Arguments Supporting a Single Salary System.

Operational Advantages and Disadvantages of the Faculty Compensation Systems.

Operational Advantages of Merit Compensation Systems.

Operational Advantages of Single Salary Systems.

Operational Disadvantages of Single Salary Systems.

Operational Advantages of Nontraditional Systems.

Designing an Effective Faculty Compensation System.

Steps to Follow.

One Institution's Redesign of Its Faculty Compensation System.

Constructing an Effective Faculty Merit Compensation System.

Constructing a Single Salary System.

Conclusions and Recommendations.

Appendix A: Illustrative Criteria for Faculty Merit Awards.

Appendix B: Evaluation Tool for Satisfactory Faculty Standards.