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October 10, 2005
FACULTY SALARIES RISE, BUT STILL LAG BEHIND PEERS
SPRINGFIELD - Faculty salaries at Illinois public universities
have outpaced inflation and other economic measures in recent years
but have made little progress in becoming more competitive with
peers across the nation.
The annual faculty salary study will be presented to the Illinois
Board of Higher Education at its regular meeting on October 18 in
the Illini Union at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Board members also will hear a presentation by Stanley O. Ikenberry,
Regent Professor and President Emeritus of the University of Illinois.
According to the salary report, the average faculty salary at public
universities in fiscal 2005 - weighted for all ranks of faculty
- was $69,000, a 7.1 percent gain over 2003, and a 13.4 percent
boost since 2001. That was higher than both the Consumer Price Index,
which rose 9.5 percent since 2001, and the increase in Illinois
per capital income, which went up 5.6 percent.
However, when measured against peer institutions in other states,
salaries were only marginally more competitive in 2005 than four
years earlier. In 2001, Illinois faculty salaries were 95.3 percent
of median salaries paid at peer institutions; in 2005, Illinois
salaries were at 95.7 percent of peer colleges and universities.
Faculty salaries at community colleges fared better in competition
with community colleges in other states, but not so well compared
to inflation. Salaries for community college faculty averaged $58,300
in fiscal 2005, a 3.4 percent increase over 2003, and an 8.2 percent
increase over 2001, trailing the rise in the CPI but exceeding the
jump in per capital income. Although community college salaries
lost a little ground since 2001 when compared to other states, Illinois
faculty salaries still exceeded the medians paid counterparts elsewhere
by 7.6 percent in 2005.
The average salary paid at independent colleges and universities
in 2005 was $83,000, nearly 7 percent above similar institutions
elsewhere.
The Board will act on grant allocations in two programs. Eighteen
colleges and universities will share $9.5 million under the Matching
Grant Program, which provides seed money to leverage grants from
the federal government and private corporations for research. In
addition, Board members will vote on allocation of $966,000 for
minority student transfer centers at community colleges under the
Higher Education Cooperation Act.
The Board will review the Compendium of Institutional Effective
Practices, a compilation of more than 200 programs and projects
aimed at addressing statewide priorities embodied in The Illinois
Commitment, the higher education strategic plan. The effective practices,
which cover all sectors of Illinois higher education, are tailored
to meeting policy goals in economic development, partnerships between
K-12 schools and higher education, affordability, access and diversity,
academic quality, and accountability.
Stanley Ikenberry served as President of the University of Illinois
from 1979 to 1995, and as President of the American Council on Education
from 1996 to 2001. He has written and lectured extensively on a
variety of higher education issues, including college access, campus
diversity, and equal opportunity. Since returning to the Urbana-Champaign
campus, Ikenberry has headed the University's P-16 Steering Committee
to marshal resources at the U of I's three campuses toward improving
teacher quality, to forge partnerships between universities and
community colleges in teacher preparation, to create incentives
to attract bright students into the teaching profession, and to
advance the use of technology in educating teachers and school leaders.
Ikenberry will speak to the Board on "Higher Education and
America's Future."
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