Lowengrub Announces "New Plan" to Raise Teachers' Salaries

On September 14, 1999 over thirty undergraduate faculty members sent a letter to Yeshiva University President, Rabbi Dr. Norman Lamm expressing their disappointment over what they termed ‘inadequate salary increments.’ Three months later, the professors claim they have yet to receive a response from the university president.

The problem of teacher salaries has existed for some time and prospects for considerable raises seem to follow a disheartening pattern, explained one senior professor. A representative of Yeshiva’s junior faculty further explained, "That members of the faculty can write a letter to the president and not receive a response just shows how much we matter to the ivory tower." "It’s not like we ever really expected a response, we haven’t received any in the past, why should this be any different," echoed another tenured professor.

Rabbi Lamm was unavailable to comment on the letter or the remarks made by members of the faculty.

In the past, while raises in salaries were fickle, monetary bonuses were for the most part nonexistent. According to two senior professors, the faculty would occasionally receive a T-shirt or umbrella as a gift. While some department heads have received monies added to their salaries, those bonuses have been small with and fairly insignificant over the years.

Another complaint of the faculty is the absence of a formal pay scale structuring professor salaries. To the contrary, one high-level administrator insisted that there does exist a pay scale for university faculty. Clarification was asked of Dr. Sheldon Socol, Vice President of Business Affairs, however he refused to comment.

Many Yeshiva and Stern College professors expressed feelings of disappointment to the salary issue, claiming that there was little hope their pleas will be taken seriously. "That is until Dr. Lowengrub came on the scene," remarked a social science professor to the agreement of colleagues present. The faculty member was referring to the redoubled efforts of Dr. Morton Lowengrub, the University’s new Vice President of Academic Affairs. "He has instilled hope and the prospects for progress among the undergraduate faculty."

"The low salary increments are just symbols of our inability to properly represent ourselves, [Sheldon] Socol has seen to that," claimed one faculty member mirroring accusations others made at a group discussion of general faculty discontent. Lowengrub however has set out to repair that aspect of faculty-administration relations as well, "creating a faculty committee which will represent the faculty to the administration."

According to Dr. Lowengrub, teachers’ salaries are a high priority for the university and plans are being made to address the problem. Dr. Lowengrub is currently examining a system where professor salaries will remain competitive throughout the duration of their employment at Yeshiva, and not just at the entry level as was reported in a past edition of The Commentator.

One system being considered for implementation is that of merit based salaries. Under this plan a professor will earn an increase or bonus based upon their performance as judged by deans and respectable review committees. A re-creation of a faculty appeals process is also a top priority. According to one administrator, the current process by which faculty can appeal administrative decisions has been seemingly nonexistent, failing many professors.

The incorporation of a faculty committee and other governing bodies will assure that such problems as favoritism and arbitrary decisions can be circumvented and avoided.

Another effort Dr. Lowengrub is making on behalf of the teachers is the inauguration of a summer program for continued scholarship. The program will sponsor professors who wish to perform summer research with intentions of developing new curricula or drafting scholarly works for publication. Dr. Lowengrub envisions the program as one of great benefit to the professors while providing a service to the university and the academic world at large.

Undergraduate students will also stand to benefit from the program. Students will be given the opportunity to serve as research assistants to the professors, earning stipends. A separate endowment and outside funding for the new research department will not be necessary as Lowengrub noted substantial monies have been found within the existing budget for the program. The research office is part of a larger plan Lowengrub has for fostering faculty research and providing distinguished students the opportunity to gain valuable experience.

"Things have been real bad here for a long time. It seems that we just might have found an ally in Dr. Lowengrub, here’s hoping anyway," remarked one optimistic professor who saw the potential for a bright future under Dr. Lowengrub’s leadership.