Some Ohio University faculty members are being awarded well-deserved mid-year raises for serving as the university's backbone while providing the essentials of quality higher education. However, the small percentage raise is inadequate and when compared to OU President Roderick McDavis' bonus could lead faculty and students to question the university's committment to its most important employees.
In addition to the 2 percent across-the-board raise each faculty member received, some professors will receive merit-based raises, which amounts to an average of a 1 percent raise for all professors. That amounts to 3 percent total. The raises fail to covers 2004's estimated 2.5 percent rate of inflation, which means the raises don't really amount to much for faculty. The $41,250 bonus received by McDavis preceding this decision couldn't have come at a worse time for grumbling faculty members. While it is deemed - by the OU Board of Trustees - that McDavis has exceeded expectations in furthering the university, it is the professors that continue to provide academic excellence to this institution and should be so recognized for this effort.
The average salary of the OU faculty ranks 10th out of 11 peer institutions, and although it is not believed OU is not experiencing job vacancies because of low salaries, it is inevitable OU will lose good people if this is not changed.
To obtain the raise, faculty members will receive a raise percentage in proportion to their performance based upon on a merit review, which is a review of documented progress as reported by each professor. Even with an outstanding performance, the raise doesn't make much of any difference. At the same time, the president is taking home a bonus - 15 percent of his $275,000 first-year salary - although who knows what the overly generous Board of Trustees might award McDavis next year. The entire raise proposal, meant to be a reward, looks pretty inconsequential by comparison. This is something the trustees should keep in mind.
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Faculty compensation inadequate
