The Importance of HOW in Faculty Salary Equity Studies: Development and Impact of an ADVANCE Salary Equity Study and Workshop Series to Promote an Inclusive Academic Environment

Abstract

This paper describes the framework and processes of a multi-faceted salary equity initiative in which a team of administrators and faculty developed a process to conduct annual salary equity studies for faculty and disseminate findings to the campus. Program elements include a request for proposals and associated evaluation rubric, executive summaries, campus presentations of salary studies, and workshops for faculty and salary decision-makers to increase understanding of the university’s faculty compensation system. As a result of this program university-level salary studies continue, faculty and administrators have embarked on additional collaborations to address faculty salary, and transparency of university pay practices has increased. This paper offers lessons learned and tangible steps for stakeholders at other campuses seeking to implement a salary equity initiative, including organizational documents and guidelines.