Salary freeze, no bonuses for professors this year
Casey Cheney
Issue date: 11/12/09 Section: News
Professors at Hillsdale College are feeling the 10 percent budget cut on many different levels this year. The cut froze professors' salaries and their professional allowance stipend. While every department experienced this same salary freeze - President Larry Arnn even took a pay cut - the professional allowance is specific to the department.
Professor of History Tom Conner said this allowance allotted each professor with $1,000 that they can use to attend conferences, buy books in their fields or fund journal subscriptions.
"This change had an impact on their ability to travel to seminars and professional meetings. It also impacted their book purchases and other such items. All administrative departments cut travel and professional development as a starting point," Vice President of Administration Rich Péwé said in an e-mail to The Collegian.
Additionally, the college did not budget for bonuses, as it normally does in lieu of a salary raise, or for summer leaves in 2009 or 2010, which support faculty research and development.
"Such funds were originally budgeted for 2009, but dropped before anyone could use them in light of the...downturn which affected the college endowment," Conner said in an e-mail to The Collegian.
Conner said these cuts have gone beyond the skin and have hit flesh and bone. Conner said he knows these salary freezes are hard on professors who have mouths to feed.
He said he heard maintenance staff decreased when retirees were not replaced.
Associate Professor of Political Science Mickey Craig, who has taught at Hillsdale for 24 years, said his salary has been raised every year he's been here. The faculty has understood the freezes, he said.
"Everyone understands with the meltdown last year," he said. "We were hoping we wouldn't have layoffs," he said.
Other schools laid professors off, he said.
"Compared to most places around, we're doing well."
Craig said he is worried about inflation. As inflation continues, it will make salary freezes more difficult to deal with. "I think most of us accepted that. Not happily of course, but with a sense of solidarity," Professor of German Eberhard Geyer said.
Professor of History Tom Conner said this allowance allotted each professor with $1,000 that they can use to attend conferences, buy books in their fields or fund journal subscriptions.
"This change had an impact on their ability to travel to seminars and professional meetings. It also impacted their book purchases and other such items. All administrative departments cut travel and professional development as a starting point," Vice President of Administration Rich Péwé said in an e-mail to The Collegian.
Additionally, the college did not budget for bonuses, as it normally does in lieu of a salary raise, or for summer leaves in 2009 or 2010, which support faculty research and development.
"Such funds were originally budgeted for 2009, but dropped before anyone could use them in light of the...downturn which affected the college endowment," Conner said in an e-mail to The Collegian.
Conner said these cuts have gone beyond the skin and have hit flesh and bone. Conner said he knows these salary freezes are hard on professors who have mouths to feed.
He said he heard maintenance staff decreased when retirees were not replaced.
Associate Professor of Political Science Mickey Craig, who has taught at Hillsdale for 24 years, said his salary has been raised every year he's been here. The faculty has understood the freezes, he said.
"Everyone understands with the meltdown last year," he said. "We were hoping we wouldn't have layoffs," he said.
Other schools laid professors off, he said.
"Compared to most places around, we're doing well."
Craig said he is worried about inflation. As inflation continues, it will make salary freezes more difficult to deal with. "I think most of us accepted that. Not happily of course, but with a sense of solidarity," Professor of German Eberhard Geyer said.
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