MSU should raise its professors’ salaries — but not because they don’t make enough money already.
Comparisons to other Big Ten college professors’ salaries show MSU falls in the middle when it comes to compensation. Contrary to popular belief, low faculty salaries not only negatively affect professors’ bank accounts, but the quality of student education as well.
A main pillar of MSU’s mission is to become a global university. The only way it can possibly do that is by attracting talented staff to provide an outstanding education. If MSU’s pay is on the low end, would-be professors likely will take their job search where the pay is higher, leaving MSU with sub-par staff.
According to the Chronicle of Higher Education, MSU paid assistant professors the least out of any Big Ten college. When entering academia, most start out as assistant professors — so how can MSU expect to bring in top-of-the-line faculty with bottom-of-the-barrel pay?
If we want to compete with other Big Ten universities, there’s no getting out of it. To preserve the distinction and merit that MSU holds, raising faculty salaries to reflect and attract faculty excellence is a necessity.
Fortunately, raising professors salaries doesn’t directly mean raising tuition prices.
Other Big Ten public universities that pay professors a higher salary have tuition rates comparable to MSU’s, notably the University of Indiana, which actually estimates tuition to be roughly $2,000 less than MSU’s. Paying more for qualified, talented professors wouldn’t solely come out of student’s pockets — it could be a simple re-allocation of funds.
Understandably, faculty pay can’t skyrocket overnight. MSU needs to integrate higher faculty salaries into its long-term plan for the future.
William Donohue, chair of the University Committee on Faculty Affairs and communication professor, suggested that “adding 1 percent to all salaries would probably take us out of the basement” of faculty pay. Being in the basement compared to other colleges is not where MSU should be.
Over a period of time, raising salaries 1 percent might not be such a bad idea.
Students deserve a solid education given by competent faculty who are paid adequately for their time.
It all boils down to meeting the growing educational needs of students, which should be of the highest priority.
Offering a reasonable salary is one way to attract a well-rounded and qualified faculty, but not the only option. A good working wage will attract new talent, but not necessarily keep them here.
MSU also needs to take the time to maintain the work environment and prestige it has established — a responsibility that rests partly on students’ shoulders.
The quality of a faculty and university often is measured by the quality of the students who study there.
This symbiotic relationship requires an expectation of excellence on both sides.
Students must expect the best out of their professors, assistant professors, instructors and vice versa.
Expecting the best without paying the best, or at least more competitively, is foolish.
“To raise the prestige and academic rigor of the university, it’s obvious that the value of the faculty would have to increase, and therefore, their salaries would need to be similarly increased,” Evan Martinak, ASMSU president and international relations senior, said in a previous interview.
“It’s up to the university community if we’re willing to pay for exceptional faculty.”
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So the question remains: Are we?
