The College and University Personnel Director’s Association shows a list of more than 500 Universities and what they are paying their adjunct faculty For the University of La Verne, it does not look good.
“We’re way behind the average,” Sharon Davis, professor of sociology and chairwoman of the committee, said.
Every year the Faculty Salary Committee proposes a budget increase to the university for the upcoming academic year.
While other universities pay $6,000-$10,000 per ten-week course, the University of La Verne does not even pay as much as our nearest competitor at $3,500.
“For many years the Faculty Committee has said for the University to pay more money to the full-time faculty and leave the part-time pay to administration,” Davis said.
Because the part-time faculty members were never given attention, administration simply forgot about them and when the time came, threw them whatever was left Davis said.
The University of La Verne’s pay for part-time faculty is not even on the scale for what other institutions pay their faculty.
The big question is, how does ULV make up for all these years?
“I know it’s been tough economically for ULV, trying to balance money and faculty, but they need to work with the faculty to see results,” said Rod Jackson, Adjunct Professor of Communications.
Many of the adjunct professors have stuck with the University because of the important values of the institute.
But now, with other schools offering them more for the exact same classes, it is harder for the faculty to stick with ULV.
“I generally teach because I love it, pay has never been an issue for me, but I think the idea should become a reality,” Justin Janzen, third year adjunct professor, said.
Many hope to see the University do something with the proposal in the upcoming academic year.
“If they want to keep their adjunct professors, then there must be a change,” Jackson said.
“We’re asking for a 3.5 percent increase for full-time, hoping that with the slight increase we can raise everyone up together,” Davis said.
Davis said salary money comes out of a combined “pot” and when they draw money to increase another groups pay, everyone else is affected.
Among the colleges of Arts and Sciences, Education and Business, education is the only one above the national average in pay.
“At La Verne, an Ed.D gets more pay than a Ph.D. The other colleges argue that it shouldn’t be this way and administration agrees,” Davis said.
The Committee’s proposed a $500 increase per course for all adjunct faculty members, next year.
Since ULV is behind in the average pay, there is also hope that the salary increase for faculty will continue for two more years to close the gap between the University and its competitors.
“If we can do this, if we can get this budget to stick, then in three simple years we will finally be caught up with the rest,” Davis said.
“I’m proud that we are putting this scheduled increase in the budget to get the ball rolling,” Davis said.
Samantha Sincock can be reached at samantha.sincock@laverne.edu.
