SACUA members seek new benefits

Members of the faculty's governing body are looking for benefits and compensation comparable to their peers who serve on similar boards at other universities.

Several members of the nine-person Senate Advisory Committee on University Affairs discussed the salary discrepancy at yesterday's meeting.

SACUA Chair Louis D'Alecy said all members serve on two faculty subcommittees and attend four-hour SACUA meetings each week.

"They're volunteering a lot of their time," D'Alecy said.

At an Oct. 20 meeting, SACUA members spoke with Sandra Weiss, chair of the University of California's faculty's governing body, via conference call. Weiss said she and the board's vice-chair receive $60,000 per year and full time off for their work on the board. The California board, however, oversees all the university's campuses, while each of the University of Michigan campuses have separate faculty governing boards.

The conversation prompted SACUA member Lewis Kleinsmith to create a similar plan of faculty governance compensation that he said is more up to date with other universities.

"I was surprised to hear from people at (the Committee on Institutional Cooperation) and the people at the University of California that many of the other universities have both release time and compensation," D'Alecy said.

The University allows only the SACUA chair to receive some time off from his department to head the board. The chair, however, must forfeit half of his salary.

The Office of the Provost recommends the department cut the chair's workload in half, but the SACUA chair does not necessarily receive half of his time off.

SACUA member and sociology Prof. Donald Deskins said he agrees with UC's system of giving the faculty's governing body chair and vice chair more time off or increasing their compensation.

"They do a considerable amount of work, and they deserve it," Deskins said.

D'Alecy said the change in benefits might be necessary to attract new members to SACUA, which is not accomplished in the present system.

"I think it makes it particularly hard to get new blood in," D'Alecy said. "You have to have a lot of conviction in your heart to volunteer and face the devaluing of (SACUA members)."

In past years, SACUA has tried to get quarter time off for all members of the committee, but the proposal was not adopted by the administration.

SACUA member Barbara MacAdam said the past setbacks should not discourage this attempt.

"I see no problem raising it as a current issue with our provost," said MacAdam, adding that the new administration has been willing to hear proposals regardless of past decisions by the former administration.

SACUA member and Education Prof. Valerie Lee said previous attempts failed because the administration was concerned about the monetary costs of giving professors time off or increasing their salaries.

"Immediately, it comes down to how much will it cost and where does the money come from," Lee said.

D'Alecy said if the departments have to compensate for the financial difference, potential SACUA members from weaker departments could be eliminated.

"A poor department can ill afford to put someone forward," D'Alecy said.

11-04-97