FAQ

Methodology

How does the study compare individual faculty members against the peer group?
The Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) is a taxonomy of academic disciplines at institutions of higher education in the United States, developed by the U.S. Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics. Each full-time faculty member is assigned a CIP code based on the instructional discipline of their home department. The Office of Institutional Research supplied Segal with each full-time faculty member’s CIP code by using the schema provided by the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) and is included in annual compliance reporting to DOE and the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education (CPE). Segal then compared each UofL full-time faculty member to the faculty members of their same CIP code at the institutions in the comparison peer group by reviewing the latest CUPA-HR survey data on record for each of the peer group institutions. The College and University Professional Association for Human Resources (CUPA-HR) conducts faculty salary data through their Employees in Higher Education Surveys. NOTE: The Office of Institutional Research maintains the mapping of faculty disciplines to defined CIP codes and these codes are reviewed every 10 years, with the most recent review completed in 2020.
Back to the top
How are unique full-time faculty, such as health care faculty and non-instructional faculty, at UofL being assessed in the study?
CUPA-HR Survey data does not provide specific discipline matches for instructional health care faculty, so the faculty of the School of Dentistry, School of Medicine and School of Nursing were each assessed against the latest salary data for their professional associations’ faculty salary surveys (i.e., ADEA Survey, AAMC Survey and AACN Survey). However, the six basic sciences that offer doctoral research degrees in the School of Medicine are assigned discipline-specific CIP codes. Additionally, because CUPA-HR Survey data is dependent on instructional discipline CIP codes, that data could not be used for UofL librarians and they were instead assessed against the latest Association for Research Librarians faculty salary survey.
Back to the top
What if my salary or rank changed during the course of the compensation study?
In the Data Validation Phase of the study, Segal collected each unit’s existing full-time faculty information as of Jan. 1, 2024. Over the summer, each dean and LFO will be sent their faculty pay adjustment information based on the Jan. 1 data Segal used. For any faculty member who had changes in salary or rank occur after Jan. 1, each unit’s LFO will reconcile their Jan. 1 results with their current-day status so that each full-time faculty member’s notification letter in August reflects the latest information. Segal will provide the necessary data for LFOs to internally manage those customizations. All full-time faculty who were part of this study will receive a notification letter regardless of their eligibility for a pay adjustment this year.
Back to the top
Are faculty administrators being included in this study?
Yes. Segal is analyzing all existing full-time faculty data as of Jan. 1, 2024. Since faculty administrators meet the definition of full-time faculty who are at least .80 FTE as a university employee, their faculty base salary is being analyzed in the study.
Back to the top
Will faculty salaries be compared only against other salaries in their department regardless of discipline, or others in their academic discipline regardless of department?
Our study is evaluating compensation by rank and discipline. We are using Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) codes for discipline comparisons, which is the same framework peer institutions use to classify their faculty.
Back to the top
What was the methodology for selecting peer groups?
The W3 Committee, along with the Steering Committee, approved peer groups for the study that reflect sources and destinations of talent, both regionally and nationally. The peer group selection process was criteria-based to establish objective guidance and then finalized through qualitative review. Criteria included Carnegie classification, enrollment, geographic location, expenses, research, faculty/staff FTE, etc.). CPE benchmarks that participate in the CUPA-HR salary surveys were also included.
Back to the top
Is the same peer group being used for both the faculty and staff?
The university's compensation study is using the same peer group for faculty and senior-level professional and managerial staff. This selected peer group (listed within the Benchmarks section) is a national set of peer institutions, reflective of the metrics and criteria agreed upon by both the W3 Advisory Committee and the Steering Committee back in 2022. The strategy has been, and will continue to be, to have the same peer group for these two employee populations. The compensation of staff whose roles were not classified as senior-level professional or managerial was compared with a separate peer group which had to incorporate a higher number of regional peer institutions due to the lack of robust national data for those staff positions. Again, this peer group development approach was agreed upon by both the W3 Advisory Committee and the Steering Committee.
Back to the top
Will faculty have access to methodology and the study data?
Transparency is an important part of this process. Segal's methodology has been presented at multiple campus meetings, and copies of those presentations are posted in the Project Updates section of the Timeline tab on this website. The overall, non-identifying results of the study's data will be presented by the Provost during the August 7 Town Halls. 
Back to the top
How will the administration address the numerous years without merit pay. How will that be addressed in an equitable way?
We recognize that the absence of general wage increases has caused us to fall below market in how faculty and staff are compensated. As an outcome of this study, we are working on making pay more competitive. Once developed, we will communicate our strategy and rationale to how pay adjustments are being made. We don’t have the answers yet, but we are committed to being transparent once we do.
Back to the top

Timeline

When will the faculty study analysis be completed and outcomes shared with the broader campus?
We expect preliminary study results by late summer or early fall. the overall results and implementation strategy will be shared at the Aug. 7, 2024, Faculty Town Hall events. (See the event details and RSVP information here.) After those Town Halls take place, pay adjustment notifications will be sent in early August to all faculty who were part of the study whether or not they are eligible for an adjustment in 2024.
Back to the top
What’s the pace for which the salary adjustments if any will be addressed?
It is important that we set appropriate expectations. Upon completion of the study, results will be shared and evaluated with university leadership. A strategy to invest in faculty pay will be developed, requiring budgetary analysis and approval before any changes occur. At this time, we do not have exact milestones set.
Back to the top

Findings & Potential Impact

What will the initial outcomes of the faculty study be? Will there be title changes/salary increases?
It is too soon to say what the outcomes of the study will be. We do expect to leverage the study’s findings to move toward more competitive pay at the university. The scale of any changes and who will receive them is unknown at this time.
Back to the top
What is the long-term plan to address salary issues?
As a result of this study, we as a university will know comprehensively – for the first time – where we stand in the market as it relates to salary competitiveness. This study will allow us to put together a strategic approach to address any salary gaps among other financial realities at our university. As findings are developed, we’ll be eager to share our plan on how we address competitive gaps over the long-term. Our expectation is that we will not be able to address wage gaps “overnight.” This will require a multi-factored approach and may take several years to implement, but we are confident that the information we receive will allow us to create a viable plan.
Back to the top
Will all faculty receive salary increases at the conclusion of the faculty compensation study? If not, why will some faculty receive salary increases and others won’t?
That is not yet known. The university will make an informed decision based on the results of the study. Part of the study’s purpose is to understand the current salary benchmarks, establish a baseline and use this information to chart a plan of action. Allocating a budget and implementation plan for any adjustments will require a multi-year approach. We promise to keep you informed through each stage of the process.
Back to the top
How are issues like years in rank and merit evaluations going to be dealt with in the evaluation of faculty salary equity?
The approach to address broader faculty competitiveness and equity has not yet been defined.
Back to the top
What will be the targets for any adjustments and what faculty input was considered in setting the levels (i.e., 80% median)?
That determination has not yet been made. Faculty representatives and senior leadership will determine the levels based on our budgetary realities.
Back to the top
How will the faculty study impact research assistants?
The initial purpose of the Faculty Compensation Study is to review and compare UofL’s Faculty salaries by rank and discipline to the market. Upon completion of the Faculty Market Assessment, the university expects to leverage the study’s findings to create a plan to move toward more competitive pay at the university; however, the scale of any changes and who will receive them is unknown at this time. Communication regarding next steps of the Faculty Compensation Study will be provided.
Back to the top
Where is the money coming from to finance salary increases?
Department budgets and the general fund will be the primary source of any pay increases. There are always competing interests for institutional resources. The pace of faculty increases will need to consider the entirety of our financial situation.
Back to the top