Career News

• Higher Education Jobs Decline in Q2

  The number of jobs in higher education fell 0.6 percent in the second quarter compared to the same period a year ago, dropping about 10,500 jobs, according to the higher education employment report. The number of jobs in higher education has now declined for two consecutive quarters after several consecutive quarters of steady but modest increases, the report found.

• University of Virginia Health Coverage Changes

  University of Virginia will be making changes to their healthcare coverage as it prepares for the Affordable Care Act. The university announced that it will drop health coverage for some of its employee spouses due to the cost. The projected additional cost of health care is estimated at $7.3 million in 2014.

• Healthcare Changes Coming to Penn State

  Pennsylvania State University will be making changes to their wellness program in January. After years of voluntary wellness programs to help reduce health cost, the program will now have penalties. A monthly surcharge of $100 will be imposed on employees who haven't filled out health-screening forms and gotten a physical exam. An additional monthly surcharge will be imposed on those who smoke.

• Presidents at City Colleges of Chicago Receive Raise

  The City Colleges of Chicago Board of Trustees has approved raises of 13.3 to 21.4 percent for their presidents. The salary approvals provide all seven president’s salaries at $170,000. While the presidents are now taken care of, the discussion regarding pay and work hours for part time faculty continues.

• Raises for Iowa Valley Community College District Faculty

  The Iowa Valley Community College District recently announced that faculty will receive a 3.93 percent increase. The percent is similar to the raise received by non-faculty staff earlier this year. The increase brings the district’s three colleges right in line with the state average.

• Eastern Kentucky University’s New President Announces 2.5% Salary Increase

  Eastern Kentucky’s new president, Michael Benson, made quite a first impression during convocation when he announced a 2.5% salary increase for all university employees. Benson recently joined the university after serving as president for Southern Utah University for the last seven years. The across the board raise will be the second of its kind in the last five years for the university and will go into effective on Oct 1.

• Adjunct Faculty at Catholic Institutions Discuss Labor Unions

  The Adjunct Faculty Association at Duquesne University is exploring the topic of labor unions at Catholic institutions. The institutions in question consist of Duquesne University, St. Xavier University, and Manhattan College. The discussion is centered on a 1979 Supreme Court decision (NLRB v. Catholic Bishop of Chicago).

• Missouri State University Looks to Fill Diversity Position

  Missouri State University has created a new position to attract and retain underrepresented faculty. The position of diversity fellow will be tasked with the responsibility of mentoring those who are underrepresented. The definition of underrepresented is being left open to interpretation.

• Raises for University Employees in Oklahoma

  The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education approved a five percent raises for state employees. The raise is considered a cost of living increase and is the first for employees since 2009. A total of 268 employees qualified for the fiscal year 2014 increase.

• Essex County College Holds Job Fair

  Essex County College will be holding a job fair on August 20 to employ adjunct faculty. The fair will run from noon to 7pm and will be located at 303 University Avenue in Newark, New Jersey. Faculty is being sought for all of its for-credit programs.

• Raises for North Dakota Presidents

  The North Dakota Board of Higher Education has approved raises for 10 of the state’s college presidents. The approved plan will provide the presidents an increase of 3 to 5 percent. In addition to the state’s college presidents, salary ranges were also approved for university senior staffers and auditors.

• Nelnet Seeks to Hire 250 Employees

  Nelnet looks to add 250 new employees to it Omaha, Nebraska location. The student loan company is trying to increase staff due to its increase in federal student loaning servicing. Nelnet increased its share of federal student loan servicing from 16% in 2011-12 to 30% in 2012-13.

• Planned Raises for Lone Star College System

  Raises are planned for full-time employees and adjunct faculty of Lone Star College System, effective September 1. The raises come via an approved budget for the 2013-2014 year. The overall increase in salaries is expected to be $3.3 million.

• North Dakota College Presidents' Raises Delayed

  North Dakota’s 11 public colleges’ presidents will have to wait on raises. The state Board of Higher Education delayed decisions on pay increases as other options are considered. Recommendations will be made in a few weeks and any increases will be retroactive to July 1.

• $54.8 Million Investment in Chicago Area Colleges and Universities

  Illinois Governor Pat Quinn announced that $54.8 million will be funded to Chicago colleges and universities. The funding will be provided through the Illinois Jobs Now capital construction program, which will be used to meet the critical needs of Illinois private colleges and universities. The agenda is to improve higher education in Illinois while creating thousands of construction jobs.

• Personal Data on 72,000 Staff Taken in University of Delaware Hack

  Brookdale Community College has named David Stout the dean of the Freehold Township campus. Stout joined the institution in 1997 and has served in a variety of positions. He holds a doctorate from Northcentral University and assumed his new role on July 16.

• Washington State University Employees Will Receive Pay Increase in 2014

  Employees at Washington State University will receive a pay increase beginning in 2014. The pay increase will cost the institution $11 million a year. The funding will come from the general university budget. The goal of Interim Provost is to utilize the funding to retain and recruit quality personnel.

• Louisiana State University System Employees Receive Raise

  Employees at the Louisiana State University System will receive their first raise in four years. The funding will come from administrative savings and adjustments over the past few years. The amount of the raises for each institution and the effective date will vary.

• University of Wyoming Board of Trustees Seek $14M for Merit Pay Increases

  The Board of Trustees at the University of Wyoming is seeking merit increases for faculty and staff to the tune of $14M. The increase is equivalent to at 4% pay raise and would be effective in 2015. If approved, the increase will be the first in four years for the university’s employees.

• Faculty Unionization Concerns University of Illinois Leader

  University of Illinois Board of Trustees Chairman Christopher Kennedy has concerns about faculty unionization. The topic came about when pro-faculty union organizers were seeking to improve benefits, wages, and working conditions for faculty. Kennedy believes that unions have no place in a shared governance environment.

• Louisiana State University System President Supports Faculty Raises

  LSU System President King Alexander believes his university must raise faculty salaries to become a nationally competitive research institution. His belief comes from the fact that more than 200 faculty have left the university since 2008 which has cost the university tens of millions in research grants. He estimates that it will cost the university upward of $40 million to replace the faculty members who have left.

• University of Illinois Prepares to Hire

  The University of Illinois is forming search committees to support their goal to hire 500 new faculty in the next five to seven years. This initiative is necessary to replace the number of tenure-track faculty that has retired or left for opportunities elsewhere. The university is referring to this process as cluster hires.

• University of Minnesota Prepares for Affordable Health Care

  Employees at the University of Minnesota are bracing for the changes that come with Affordable Health Care. Staff and faculty are looking at increased out of pocket cost for primary and specialty care. To ease in the transition the university is looking that a “medical cost relief program”.

• St. Louis University Approves $13.4M in Salary Increases

  St. Louis University has approved $13.5M in salary increases for faculty and staff. The increase will be allocated in the 2014 fiscal year which began on July 1. Approximately $10M of the approved increases will be used for performance merit increases. As a result, nearly 98% of eligible full time employees will receive an increase.

• University of Texas System Approves New University

  Texas Governor Rick Perry and the University of Texas System celebrated the approval of a new university in the Rio Grande Valley. The new university will be a merger of UT Pan American and UT Brownsville and the future South Texas School of Medicine. The new institution will change the educational and economic landscape of South Texas.

• Wyoming Governor Seeks Raises for University of Wyoming Employees

  Wyoming Governor Matt Mead is seeking raises for Wyoming employees, including University of Wyoming staff and faculty. Employee retention is the reason for his proposed salary increase of 15 percent. His recommendations will be contingent in state revenue project which will be released in October.

• Indian Hills Community College Strives to Pay More

  Indian Hills Community College Board of Trustees is hoping to provide its employees a raise after a few years after of sacrifice. Employees accepted smaller increases over the past few years due to the college’s limited funding. Now that there is an increase in funding, the board of trustees hopes to return the same type of loyalty that the workers showed.

• University of Texas System Board of Regents Awards $1M to Outstanding Faculty

  University of Texas System Board of Regents awarded $1 million to 39 outstanding faculty members. The faculty members work for six of the University of Texas health institutions. The awards are part the Regents’ Outstanding Teaching Awards (ROTA). Each faculty members received a check for $25,000.

• University of Denver Law Professor Files Federal Complaint After 40 Years of Service

  Professor Lucy Marsh has filed a federal complaint against the University of Denver after 40 years of service. She is alleging that she has been underpaid in violation of the Equal Pay Act. A recent memo regarding merit increases indicated that female full professors are paid on average $16,000 less than their male counterparts.

• University of Iowa Overpaid Salaries by $805K

  An audit conducted at the University of Iowa identified that $805,000 of salary expense was overpaid in fiscal year 2012. In the previous year $159,354 in salary was also overpaid. It was recommended that electronically submitted forms be sent in a timely manner.

• A Closer Look at the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA)

  The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee met on July 10th to vote on the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA). ENDA will ban employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. The following are myths and facts regarding ENDA.

• Adjuncts Seek Unemployment

  Adjunct instructors in Ohio are seeking unemployment benefits. Traditionally, adjunct instructors work on a term by term basis. Given the growing number of adjunct faculty across the country, this topic will be followed closely.

• University of Oklahoma Regents Approve Raises

  University of Oklahoma Board of Regents has approved faculty raises. An increase of $1.4 million in state funding will be used to pay for faculty promotions. In addition, staff will receive a one-time bonus of $500.

• University of Connecticut Trustees Approve $1.1B Budget

  The UConn Board of Trustees has approved a FY 14 budget of $1.1 billion. Part of the budget will be used to continue its faculty hiring plan. The goal is to add 259 new faculty and make other academic and research investments.

• Rowan University Hires 60 Research Faculty

  Rowan University has recently shifted its focus to become a research institution. To support that new designation they have recently hired over 60 new research faculty. This increase in faculty is the largest in the school’s history.

• University of South Florida Hopes Merit Increases Retain Faculty and Staff

  To remain competitive in their local area, the University of South Florida is hoping that merit increases will help to retain its employees. The merit increases will be in conjunction to across the board pay increases and bonuses for state employees. University of South Florida competes with University of Florida and Florida State University for local talent.

• University of Illinois Provide Raises

  Employees at the University of Illinois are scheduled for a merit based increase of 2.75%. The raises will go into effect when the new school year starts in August. This year’s increase comes after an increase of 2.5% last year.

• Michigan State University Faculty Scheduled for Salary Increase

  Michigan State University’s Board of Trustees approved the schools budget which includes a salary increase for its faculty. The increase will provide a 2 percent bump in pay for faculty members whose average rate of pay was $101,564 last year. The increase will allow the university to be more competitive in recruiting and retaining faculty.

• University of Wisconsin System Employees Await Raise

  Employees of the University of Wisconsin System await final approval of the salary increase proposal submitted by Gov. Scott Walker. The proposal will provide employees a 1 percent salary increase which would be their first in the last five years for most workers. The proposal will also provide an increase of 0.25 cents per hours for employees with a base rate below $15 per hour.

• Missouri State University Staff and Faculty Receive Pay Increase

  With an operations budget of $263 million now approved for next year, the staff and full time faculty of Missouri State University are schedule to receive an increase of 2 percent. Strong enrollment and an increase of tuition of 1.7 percent will help to fund the pay increase. Addition increases in fees include 3 percent for housing and 4 percent for boarding. The university however will provide $27 million in scholarships next year.

• Western Michigan University Provides Raises for Women Professors

  Due to gender pay gap issues, Western Michigan University will provide salary increases for around 300 women professors. A recent compensation study found that women professors were earning 4 percent less than their male counterparts. The salary increase is a step in the right direction for Western Michigan University but this is not a problem exclusive only to WMU.

• Massachusetts Institute of Technology Subsidizes Extended Health Care Federal Tax for Same Sex Employees

  Same sex employees at MIT who utilize extended health care benefits for their spouses will have $125 paid by MIT. The $125 will be used to offset the federal taxes that same sex couples are required to pay. MIT now joins Harvard who adopted a similar policy in April.

• Board of Regents Approves Raises for Kansas Administrators

  The Board of Regents in Kansas has approved raises for public university administrators. The approval will affect Kansas State University, University of Kansas, and four other Kansas public universities. The funding for the raises will be provided by each university’s fundraising foundation.

• Central Michigan University In Agreement With Employees

  Central Michigan University and its employees have reached common ground in its labor discussions. The university ratified a three year agreement with a group who represents 118 supervisory-technical employees. In addition, the university also came to agreement with its 324 office professionals.

• University of Missouri System Passes Proposal to Expand Benefits Plan

  The University of Missouri System passed a proposal to expand its benefit plan to include eligible adult dependents. The plan will allow same sex partner to be eligible for benefits. The plan will also allow the system to attract employees who may otherwise go elsewhere due to the lack of extended benefits. Other universities such as Colorado State, Indiana University, Rutgers, and University of Nebraska have also extended its benefits to eligible adult dependents. The benefits will go into effect in 2014.

• Baby Boomer Faculty Lack Retirement Savings

  Fidelity just released a study stating that 70% of baby boomer faculty lacks the necessary investment savings for retirement. As a result, the study found that 74 percent of the respondents plan to delay their retirement. Fidelity surveyed over 600 boomers between the ages of 49 to 67.

• Winona State Becoming University President Training Ground

  Winona State has seen a trend stating to develop. With the departure of two more members leaving to become university president, it begs the question of if Winona State is becoming a training ground for future presidents. Winona State now has propelled a total of four former members into the role of president.

• Illinois Public Universities Construct Pension Plan

  Analysts at the University of Illinois Institute for Government & Public Affairs have developed a plan to address the state’s public universities pension concerns. The proposed plan would require state university employees to contribute an additional 2 percent of their checks toward retirement benefits. Once the employee retires they will receive cost-of-living adjusts tied to the rate of inflation. The plan was unanimously endorsed by Illinois public university presidents and chancellors. The plan now goes through the state’s approval process.

• University of Louisville Buyouts Exceed Expectations

  University of Louisville’s plan to buy-out 200 employees has surpassed expectations. Approximately 300 members of the university’s workforce have taken advantage of the opportunity. The separation of these seasoned employees will make way for the hiring of new lower-paid employees. The buyouts are part of a larger plan to save the university cost in an attempt to realign its budget.

• Florida State President Looks To Hire More Faculty

  Florida State President Eric Barron hopes to allocate $10M to hire selective new faculty. Barron's goal is to bring in a total of 76 new faculty. The university is attempting to replace an estimated 220 faculty lost due to budget cuts over the past six years.

• University of Michigan Requires Background For All Employees

  As of June 1, the University of Michigan now requires pre-employment background checks and education verification on all candidates. Prior to the change staff departments weren't required to verify the education of applicants and academic departments weren't required to conduct background checks. After ongoing discussions, the Board of Regents Personnel, Compensation and Governance Committee made the decision to implement a more comprehensive policy.