Professors' rank, experience determine salary grade

Professors at JMU are into four categories of rank: Instructor, assistant professor, associate professor and full professor.

An instructor often is used in science labs. "They help with our lab support," said Louise Temple, head of the biology department. "In some ways, instructor positions are nice for people to try out teaching to decide if they like it."

An assistant professor is an entry-level position and "normally carries with it teaching, scholarship and service responsibilities," according to the Faculty Handbook.

In the fall of his or her sixth year at JMU, an assistant professor can apply to become an associate professor. This promotion also will bring tenure.

An associate professor, in addition to the assistant professor requirements, has shown "substantial professional achievements, evidenced by an appropriate combination of teaching, scholarship and service," according to the Faculty Handbook.

Appointment as a full professor "is contingent upon recognition or outstanding professional accomplishment," according to the Faculty Handbook.

A doctorate normally is expected from an assistant professor, but in some instances a person with a masters degree or experience will receive a higher salary than a less-experienced person with a doctorate.

In the sciences, a doctorate generally is required and a professor usually has completed post-doctorate work as well, according to David Carothers, head of the math and statistics department.

The average professor at JMU makes $73,100 a year, according to figures for the 2003-(‘04) school year released by the Office of Institutional Research.

Associate and assistant professors make an average $59,800 and $47,900 per annum, respectively. The average JMU instructor earns $41,500 a year. The average salary for all ranks of JMU teaching faculty is $58,000.

Comparatively, the average professor at the University of Notre Dame earns $116,500. The average salary at UND is $92,500 for all ranks of teaching faculty.

"Each level receives higher compensations," said Douglas Brown, vice president of academic enhancement. "Experience is a factor in determining a salary when a faculty member is hired. Teaching and research competence are given a high weight."

David Jeffrey, dean of the College of Arts and Letters, said, "Promotions are decided by department head and the unit’s Personnel Advisory Committee (PAC), a group of elected faculty members.

"Both separately make recommendations to the dean, who recommends to the vice president for academic affairs, who recommends to the president, who takes these recommendations to the Board of Visitors."

The heads of each department are responsible for creating the annual evaluations with input from an evaluation committee said David Carothers, head of the math and statistics department.

"There are self-evaluations and student evaluations, but I don’t know of a school that has peer evaluations," Temple said. "That might be helpful."

She also said a peer review system would be useful because student evaluations sometimes can be misleading.

Departments advertise in scholarly journals to attract professors and there usually is a search committee that culls the applicants and interview three or four.