Currently, those faculty members have money deducted from their paychecks during a period from Aug. 16 to May 15; the deducted money is used to pay the faculty during the summer months. The proposal, if enacted, would pay faculty the money usually withheld under the current system during the academic year. Those faculty no longer would receive a paycheck during the summer months.

David Brower, MSU’s chief financial officer and controller, said the proposed pay schedule change will be beneficial because academic year faculty will be paid in full for their work in a given month rather than having money withheld each month.

“In my mind, it really achieves a proper method of paying for the work when it’s done,” Brower said.

Terry Curry, associate provost and associate vice president for academic human resources, said although the proposal first arose late last spring, it still is in the preliminary stages. If enacted, Curry said administrators want to implement the new system by August.

Curry said administrators are developing a communication strategy to spread word of the proposed changes to faculty members. He also said he is working with the University Committee on Faculty Affairs, or UCFA, on the matter.

“There still are a lot of questions to be answered,” Curry said.

Curry said the changes would not apply to all faculty. Annual year faculty, who are appointed and paid to work each month of the year, would not be affected, Curry said. An example of an annual year faculty member is someone who is appointed as chairperson of a department. Curry said base faculty appointments are for academic year positions.
ECAC members differed in their opinions on the proposed change.

Several members expressed dismay with the proposed plan and said faculty who would not be paid during the summer months would need to consider ways to pay monthly bills, such as mortgages and credit card bills.

“It is seriously going to cause huge disruptions,” said Martin Crimp, chairman of the University Committee on Academic Policy.

UCFA chairwoman Deborah Moriarty said she believed the best course of action is for faculty with concerns to approach UCFA with questions and concerns.

Brower said some details need to be examined, such as ways to continue faculty health benefits during the summer months. Currently, a faculty member must be paid in order to receive health benefits. Brower said one solution would be withholding a sufficient amount of money during the academic year to maintain health benefits during the summer.

Brower also said MSU is working with MSU Federal Credit Union to offer an option to faculty customers that essentially would not change the current schedule, albeit in a different form. MSUFCU would withhold the money typically deducted as part of the current pay schedule. That money would be available for faculty during the summer months, Brower said.