There is a dainty dish to place before the Joint
Ways and Means this week when higher education
makes its case for adequate funding including faculty
salary increases.
Two undergraduates in the soon-to-be phased out
department of Community Service and Public Ad
ministration have conducted a study on “Fiscal Stress
in Higher Education: Faculty salaries at the University
of Oregon.”
The 34-page report surveys faculty that have left
the University in the last two years. The findings are
compiled with four different faculty salary surveys.
The report is confirmation of University common
knowledge — faculty have left because they were paid
more and had more opportunities for professional
growth in states that support higher education.
The report found the median salary, for all ranks of
faculty (full professors to instructors) who have left the
University in the last two years, to be 34 percent higher
than they would be earning here.
The study also found that of the 24 who remained
in academia (45 responded, a 70 percent return rate)
their median salary has increased by 41 percent. That is
to say, professors are finding higher compensation in
academic jobs. They don’t just leave for lucrative jobs
in the private sector.
The 1978 Carnegie Study of 54 major U.S. institu
tions showed the University to be below the average
faculty salary (89 percent of the average salary for each
of the 47 institutions surveyed.)
opinion
Faculty suffer
fiscal stress
In more recent surveys, of the Ten Western States
as used by the Academic Pay Study of the Executive
Department, the University ranked 8.3 percent below
average for all ranks of professors .
Of the 54 institutions of the Association of
American Universities the University rates 13.4 percent
below for all ranks of professors, 13.8 percent for
professors.
Among “Quality 2” universities, institutions with
comparable libraries, research facilities and academic
stature in general, the University salaries were 8 per
cent below the average for all ranks.
Of the 19 institutions used by the State System of
Higher Education, University professor’s salaries rank
ed 6.2 percent below average and all ranks of faculty
salaries averaged 7.7 percent below.
The report, written by seniors Ronald Gartshore
and Steve Earl, states “The standing of the University of
Oregon is a critical issue. If the University is a high
prestige institution, then salaries are below par."
The survey of faculty who have left in 1980-81 and
1982-83 found income potential, total income and pro
fessional development the major reason for leaving.
Understandably, the same 45 faculty found the
friendliness of the community, the geographic location,
reputation of their departments, and the cultural and
recreational facilities the most satisfying aspects of life
at the University.
Mellow people and granola can only keep quality
faculty here so long.
It has been shortsighted for the Legislature to con
tinue cutting higher education for the last 10 years. The
University has lost many good faculty in the interim.
Many professors stay for non-financial reasons, as
those dwindle, say their children graduate from high
school, those professors have less reason to stick
around. If it was not for federal grants and endowments
many of the prestigious faculty would have left long
ago.
“The question is whether Oregon is willing to pay
the cost of being exceptional," reads the report. "The
distinction of having a high-quality institution of the
caliber of AAU universities is an additional and extraor
dinary expense for a state of Oregon’s size and
population."
True. The University has been attempting to show
how extraordinary it is to the legislature for the last
year. The report offers one proof — faculty leave here
trained for more prestigious and lucrative jobs in
academia.
The Legislature should vote to increase faculty
salaries to something near comparative levels. Other
wise more than four and twenty professors worth keep
ing will leave this institution in years to come
II letters
Bookstore vote
If you are a student,
classified staff, or faculty
member then you can vote in
the University Bookstore's
election this Thursday and Fri
day. I would like to urge you to
vote this year because there
are two measures on the
ballot. These measures are
vital for the bookstore to con
tinue to serve you in the most
effective manner.
Ballot A is a set of changes
in the bookstores's by-laws.
These changes would update
the by-laws. For example,
since the last changes were
made in our by laws in 1980,
the Oregon legislature has
changed the classifications
and descriptions of University
employees The approval of
Ballot A would make the
descriptions in our by-laws
current.
Ballot B is a separate
change in one section of our
by-laws. The section deals
with the compensation of
board members. The board of
directors of the bookstore has
proposed that the eight stu
dent members receive a $180 a
year stipend for the services
given, beginning in May of
1984 This amounts to a $20 a
month stipend
On the average, a board
member spends between 10
ard 15 hours a month on
bookstore business at board
meetings, committee
meetings, etc. For com
parison, SUAB and IFC
members receive a $35 to $80
a month stipend, respectfully.
In addition to the ballot
measures, five directors will
be chosen in this election
Remember, vote yes on Ballot
A and B this Thursday or
Friday
Dale Penegor
political science, economics
r
Judgmental
Chris Wesely, author of the
letter “Dynasty” is not only
making a uninformed,
judgmental evaluation of
greek life, but is in a vindictive
manner attacking not only the
foundations of sororities and
fraternities, but insulting the
intelligence of the Emerald
readers as welt.
Sororities are based upon
ideals set up more than a hun
dred years ago, by founders
who were striving to become
accomplished, productive,
prepared and concerned
women. This includes em
phasis on scholastic achieve
ment (that is what we are here
for), developing leadership
skills, learning to live with peo
pie (something that we will all
probably do for the rest of our
lives), striving for goals such
as consideration, cooperation,
honesty as well as the social
graces.
There is an intricate support
system built into each house,
and there is strength in unity.
This way of life is not for
everyone. But it is one proven
way to gain the knowledge and
background to better oneself,
through learning, working and
living with others.
I will not attempt to rebuke
Wesely for the comment about
Greeks supporting a ficticious
"Stealing from the Handicap
ped” class, when every year
each sorority makes sizeable
donations to charities, in
cluding rehabilitation and aid
for the blind. The absurdity of
stereotyping hundreds of
political views into one plat
form is insulting. There is in
credible diversity in the Greek
community, if one would only
take the time to see it and not
make rash judgments.
The Greek Endorsement
Committee thoroughly in
vestigates and researches
each candidate s credentials
and viewpoints prior to endor
sing and promoting a par
ticular campaign. And it is
upon the merits of the in
dividual and the understan
ding of common, worthy goals
that this decision is made, not
who the candidate is affiliated
with. The power of the Greek
endorsed candidate is in the
faith and unity behind her or
him, not the "money-loving
capitalist" desire to continue
a conjure-up dynasty.
Dede Kennedy
sophomore
Employee
After over four years of
passive acceptance. I’ve
decided to speak out against
something that seems silly
when compared to nuclear
disarmament or other weighty
issues. Even something small,
when repeated over and over
— like a dripping faucet — can
become an annoyance. Here it
is.
Why does this university
and this state s government
spell the word “employee" as
‘'employe"? Do you pro
nounce the word “em-ploy
yeh"? Is the savings in
keystrokes and ink worth the
continued insult to the
language?
Surely those who work in an
institution of higher education
should take the leadership
role in returning this state’s
governmental bureaucracy
back to the proper spelling of
such a simple word.
Jim Long
Editor's note: In defense of the
administration, Webster's
New World Dictionary of the
American Language lists
employee under both
spellings.
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