When it comes to monetarily rewarding administrative titles, colleges and universities are more likely than their school-district counterparts to award higher percentage pay raises. National average salary increases for 1997 were 3.6% at 4-year institutions and 4.7% at 2-year colleges, compared to 3.4% at school districts and 4.3% for officials at private-sector companies, according to American School & University's 13th Compensation Survey.
At both 4-year and 2-year colleges, salary increases primarily were based on overall budget determinations, cost-of-living adjustments and competitive practices.
Information for AS&U's report was compiled from an in-depth survey mailed to 1,000 chief business officers at 2-year colleges and 1,000 chief business officers at 4-year institutions. Questions explored salary and benefits practices for seven key management positions, with professor used to gauge compensation relationships among the administrative titles. Usable returns were received from 10.1% of 4-year colleges and 12.5% of 2-year institutions, with 56.4% of the 4-year responses coming from private institutions and 88.8% of 2-year responses coming from public colleges.
The eight college positions surveyed include: *President. *Chief Business Officer. *Chief Development Officer. *Chief Facilities Officer. *Chief Purchasing Officer. *Director of Security/Safety. *Director of Housing. *Professor.
Bonuses and perquisites Mirroring their school-district counterparts, higher-education institutions are not particularly favorable to offering bonus programs. In 1997, 5.0% of 4-year colleges and 4.8% of 2-year colleges offered bonus programs. Both these numbers are down from the 5.7% and 5.2%, respectively, of institutions that offered bonus programs last year.
When asked if they were contemplating instituting a bonus program in the near future, 7.4% of 4-year and only 1.7% of 2-year colleges responded that they were. Rewards at both the 4-year- and 2-year-college level most often were made on the basis of a combination of overall institution performance, department/unit performance and individual executive performance. At 2-year colleges, discretionary bonuses were awarded quite often.
College administrators report a generous number of perquisites as part of their total compensation package. Among the most popular at both 4-year and 2-year colleges are professional development, professional association membership, tuition for dependents, and the ability to make outside income. In addition, a variety of post-retirement insurance plans are offered, including full- and partial-paid medical/hospital, dental and life-insurance programs.
About the Author
Joe Agron
Editor-in-Chief and Associate Publisher
Joe Agron is the editor-in-chief/associate publisher of American School & University magazine. Joe has overseen AS&U's editorial direction for more than 25 years, and has helped influence and shape national school infrastructure issues. He has been sought out for comments by publications such as The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, USA Today, U.S. News & World Report, ABC News and CNN, and assisted with the introduction of the Education Infrastructure Act of 1994.
Joe also authors a number of industry-exclusive reports. His "Facilities Impact on Learning" series of special reports won national acclaim and helped bring the poor condition of the nation's schools to the attention of many in the U.S. Congress, U.S. Department of Education and the White House.