University Salaries: Faculty Differentials

Abstract

This paper extends and brings up to date the original work of Bowen on pay among subjects in universities in the United Kingdom.2 Following Bowen we use faculty differentials to mean systematic variations in economic well-being among university teachers among subjects. For years some the university profession, except for Medicine, has had a uniform set of salary scales, which consists of: (i) a minimum and/or maximum salary for each grade; and (ii) annual increments in the lecturer and senior lecturer grades. Uniformity of salary scales need not, however, be matched by uniformity in over-all economic wellbeing; nor does it reflect uniformity of market pressures in various faculties. No rules govern the point on the scale at which an individual is placed, nor are there formal constraints on non-salary benefits. The main staffing constraint restricts the proportion of senior academic staff in any university to 35 per cent. of the total staff. The combination of unequal labour market pressure and uniformity in salary scales may be resolved by universities in one or both of two ways: (1) If universities are determined to have staff of equal quality in all faculties, they will have to adjust over-all net advantages to recruit as effectively in subjects where the labour market is more tight as in those where it is less tight. Universities may make this adjustment within the constraint of uniform salary scales in a variety of ways: (i) by establishing a higher proportion of senior posts in faculties where the labour market is tight; (ii) by increasing salaries within grades to those in short supply by placement higher up the incremental scales; (iii) by allowing groups of academics in short supply easier access to outside earnings-this solution may be the outcome of having no policy at all in such matters; and (iv) by providing non-pecuniary amenities: personal secretaries, light teaching load, research assistants and so on. (2) Alternatively, universities may refuse to adjust net advantages, and accept the recruitment implications of having uniform salary scales. Possible consequences are that: (i) new posts may not be created in certain faculties because of anticipated recruitment difficulties; (ii)