Faculty Compensation Study FAQs

The Boldy Elon strategic plan runs until 2030. Elon’s goal is to be within the top third of our peers by the end of the plan and the faculty peer compensation analysis is designed to help move us toward our goal. Phase one included individuals earning $75,000 or less, which is 44% of our full-time faculty members. Among this group are some of our assistant professors, associate professors, lecturers, and senior lecturers. We will have a more thorough understanding of how the peer adjustments contribute to this progress after the three phases are complete and adjustments have been considered across the full faculty.

Stipends were not included as part of base salary, only the annual base salary was included.

Faculty members who just received tenure were considered for peer compensation adjustment.

First-year faculty members were considered for peer adjustment. Note that first-year faculty members or faculty members who were just promoted would have zero years in rank and would not be eligible for a years-in-rank increase.

Assistant Professors were compared to aggregate data for Assistant Professors at our peer institutions.

Salaries for Senior Lecturers were compared to those of similar full-time faculty roles with predominantly teaching responsibilities at our peer institutions. Compression adjustments for Senior Lecturers incorporated the same approaches as for Associate Professors.

Faculty members in the lecturer track were compared to full-time faculty roles with predominantly teaching responsibilities at our peer institutions. The data included information for terminal and non-terminal degrees.

Salary adjustments were made in comparison to compensation for similar positions at our peer institutions. The comparison was not made between different tracks at Elon University.

During the peer compensation adjustment process there wasn’t a separate (racial + gender) salary equity study or comparison done. Demographic information was not provided about peer institutions.

Disciplinary context was considered for all faculty members included in phase 1 of the peer compensation adjustment.

The peer analysis did not incorporate health care plan costs.

Adjustments to account for changes in peer data will be made for comparisons with peers in phases 2 and 3.

The calculation incorporates number of years in rank and the relationship between faculty members’ salaries and comparable peer salaries.

The University’s peer institutions list was used. This list can be found on the institutional research’s peer institutions webpage.

The university does not have a policy that lecturers and assistant professors receive the same starting salary. In practice, starting salaries for these positions vary across majors and departments with some examples of majors or departments hiring lecturers and assistant professors at the same starting salary.

Cost of living adjustments for our peers are calculated based on the city where peer institutions are located. Data for Elon University is calculated based on its location in Elon, NC, which is very similar to Burlington, NC.

The peer compensation adjustment is calculated in relation to peer data, which incorporated information about cost of living.

Phase one of the faculty peer compensation adjustment included faculty members earning $75,000 or less. Only faculty members in this category who received a peer compensation adjustment received notification in OnTrack.

Faculty members can see their own individual increases in the memo made available through OnTrack.

There is a reconsideration process. If an individual faculty member has a question about their raise, the first step is to speak to their dean. If a faculty member wants to request reconsideration, they should provide the dean with data that supports the request. If the dean finds the information enough for reconsideration, the dean can move this request forward to the Provost’s Office who will communicate with Human Resources.