UNC hopes to maintain faculty retention

As the University braces for budget cuts to the UNC system, officials are anticipating the departure of some faculty for more lucrative employment options.

While UNC is not the only university facing budget pressures, University officials say many private institutions are not dealing with the same constraints.

McKay Coble, chairwoman of the Faculty Council, said these institutions have strong endowments that are not threatened by changes in state allocations, and can offer better pay.

“Gas prices are rising. Food is rising. Our salaries aren’t rising,” Coble said.

Bruce Carney, executive vice chancellor and provost, will present faculty retention statistics to the Board of Trustees today.

Carney said past and future budget cuts have had a demoralizing impact on the faculty.

When faculty members receive offers from other institutions, they have private negotiations with administrators, University officials said.

Coble said a department head will take the offer to the appropriate dean to create a counteroffer.

Of all faculty who enter into negotiations, a larger percentage are choosing to leave the University than last year, Carney said.

But faculty retention is not determined solely by the budget.

Coble said many faculty members work at UNC because of strong relationships with colleagues and the environment.

“People sometimes decide to stay even though they’d earn more if they left,” said Ron Strauss, executive associate provost.

Coble said competition between universities for faculty occurs during all economic climates and not just during times of budgetary constraints.

“In good times or bad times, people are always going to look to bring the best faculty together and it’s never going to be an issue that goes away,” she said.

Jan Boxill, who will succeed Coble as chairwoman of the Faculty Council on July 1, said the new Academic Plan will be helpful in maintaining high faculty retention numbers.

“I think the plan is innovative and is a way to recognize the contributions of faculty and their research and their interdisciplinary areas,” she said.

Boxill said she hopes external financial sources will encourage more faculty members to stay at the University.

“What I’m hoping (for) is grants that will allow people to get the kind of support they need,” she said.

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