Food for thought on the Rutgers Faculty Complaints

is skewed by not having a med school. UMDNJ will fix that.

There’s just so much ignorance and misinformation. I was reading the Targum article today on this, and professors were spewing outright lies. Plain fiction.

Pernetti needs to sit down with them and go down the budget, line by line. Everyone’s mind is warped by bad media coverage.

Perhaps their side is a bunch of hooey, but your argument certainly is as well.

Rutgers NB ranks number 8 in the country among public universities – not all universities. In fact, all top 10 private Universities have higher average salaries. Also, this number is only true for “full-time” professors, and you make no mention as to what percentage of the NB faculty falls into this category. Nor do you take into account that the average or mean is not always the most telling figure for comparison purposes; there are many pay scales such that the average salary could come out to 140,000. Perhaps a few professors who make lots and lots of money drive up the average salary of the vast majority who make less than 140,000. See?

More significantly, your analysis fails to account for the higher cost of living in the New York Metro area. For instance, a professor making 140,000, living in New Brunswick, New Jersey has the same standard of living as someone making $98,000 in Houston, Texas. (http://www.bestplaces.net/col/?salary=140000&city1=53451210&city2=54835000).

Indeed, your source acknowledges, “Analyzing the relative rank of colleges and universities in average salaries is tricky any year. These figures don’t take into consideration such matters as cost of living, which varies widely from rural college towns to major urban areas. And this year, when many institutions froze salaries, movement may be based on such factors as how many faculty members at which income levels took early retirement incentives that were offered.” (Read more: http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2010/04/12/salaries#ixzz1lF221k1g)

Lastly, look at the average salaries for professors at community colleges in the area:

1. Westchester Community College $116,700
2. Queensborough Community College $110,200
3. Hostos Community College $108,700
4. LaGuardia Community College $106,400
5. Borough of Manhattan Community College $104,000
6. Kingsborough Community College $102,300
7. Bronx Community College $99,800
8. Miami University Hamilton $97,300

I challenge you to find out where these schools rank on the national research rankings.

If you argue the faculty needs to be paid more because they live in NY (many do) or even Central Jersey, then so do the athletic department employees. Further, the cost of building a stadium addition in NJ versus Arkansas can be significant (see Giants stadium cost for reference). So its not simply the cost factor that supports the faculty’s average salary. The other issue for the faculty that they don’t like acknowledging, and hence try to redirect focus on how wasteful athletic costs affect them, is how ‘productive’ are they? How many classes do they teach? How many students are in their classes, and does their subject matter expertise drive value to the university by attracting quality students? Some can say yes…others not so easy. I saw the University of Texas was doing an analysis similar to this to value their programs and how professors should be compensated. It may not be perfect but it should be part of the equation. SImilar to athletics—what advertising and positive imaging does it generate? What’s the value of that in tems of the state of NJ, the attraction of students and faculty (at least some!).

Yes, you are correct that the list of top ten was for public universities. I’ll change that. Thanks for pointing that out.

That’s fair enough to explain that faculty salaries averages are far more complex than pure averages. But, can you tell me using quantitative measures that demonstrates Rutgers faculty provides value measured in compensation against University income generated through research – using all the variables you cite to debunk the above.

In addition, can you also include comparative models against other schools with comparable or higher costs of living including Cal, UCLA, and UNC?

Until then, faculty can get off their soapbox.

Obtaining research grants is the faculty’s job. While Jon, above, is correct that UMDNJ should fix the overall ranking for research grants. You’re absolutely correct that Rutgers has a prime strategic location that should be outperforming others.

Actually, it’s more inaccurate than that (public universities). The cited numbers are for full professors, who are at the highest level rank among faculty and have been in academia earning their way to the top for many years. I don’t know what the amount of time one must put in at Rutgers to advance to full professor, but I’m sure it is at least 10 years and probably more than that (much longer than most of our coaches, FWIW). Since there has been a trend away from hiring full-time tenured faculty at many institutions (particularly public ones) towards hiring part-time or non-tenure-track faculty who are contracted, the average salary is likely much lower. If Rutgers shells out dough for the big names out there who attract the big dollars, so be it – that is a good thing. It doesn’t reflect what the average assistant professor teaching introductory biology to 400 students in Beck Hall is making. These numbers don’t show that, whatever it is.

It is an old negotiating ploy used for years by labor. My value to the company is greater than x, therefore we should be paid more than x. What is used to determine “value” is as subjective as the definition of “fair”, so they posture and manipulate.

The timing of this publicity campaign is not a coincidence. The incumbent university pres. is on his way out and cannot impact this situation. When the new pres. arrives he/she is assumed to be at a disadvantage, not knowing the intimate history of the situation. So this cadre of profs will try to bully the new pres,. put him/her on the defensive from day one and gain concesstions to obtain their $$$ early in the tenure.

In reaction to this I hope the new Pres. moves quickly to obtain financing to update the RAC or expand the fb stadium further. That should send the proper message.