Salary Gap Persists for UA Education Workers

A recent Report to the Faculty Senate by its Financial Advisory Committee reveals two issues of continuing concern for workers at the University of Arkansas. Both are about fairness.

Although the wage gap between male and female faculty had improved since the dark days of glaring inequality under Chancellor John White, tenured and tenure-track female faculty members still make 10% less than their same rank male colleagues at the University of Arkansas.

Second, the annual raises for administrators continue to dwarf those for faculty and staff. From 2009 to 2011, raises for Category One Administrators (President, Chancellor, Provost, Vice Chancellors, and Vice Provost) jumped more than 22% (average $45,000 increase). For the Category Two Administrators (Associate Vice Chancellors and Associate Vice-Provost), raises averaged $30,600 or 26% in the same two-year period.

Provost Sharon Gaber told the Faculty Senate that Chancellor Gearhart wanted to give the faculty a 5% raise, but he couldn't balance the budget with such a large increase so offered 2.5%.