Budget committee update – July 2011
The MSU-PDA Budget Committee was formed in February 2011 at the direction of the MSU-PDA steering committee to look into, and try to reverse a salary freeze for MSU-postdoctoral academics enacted a broader salary freezing measure by the MSU Board of Trustees and administration. The committee, collaborating with many in the administration, was successful in reversing this potentially harmful decision by the end of February. During this process of trying to reverse the salary freezes, it became apparent that some MSU postdoctoral academics are among the lowest paid employees at MSU, with roughly 12% being paid less then $35,000 per year. The Dean of the College of Natural Sciences (CNS), Dr. James Kirkpatrick, realized that postdoctoral researchers had legitimate concerns with regard to salary and set a salary floor of $35,000 for nearly all CNS postdocs (beginning October 2011). It is the hope of the PDA that this salary floor will be emulated in the other colleges and schools at Michigan State University. Most importantly, postdoctoral scholars were allowed merit-based, PI stipulated salary increases so long as they were funded from external grants with budgeted salary increases. In June of 2011, the Budget Committee was approached by a number of postdoctoral scholars who had been given raises by their PIs who thought them eligible for these increases, but were later denied at the departmental or college level. The Budget Committee raised these issues with the administration, and with the assistance of Dr. Karen Klomparens, Dean of the Graduate School (grad.msu.edu) and Dr. Terry Curry, Associate Provost and Associate Vice President for Academic Human Resources, corrected the issues. Associate Provost Curry has since issued a memorandum (Dr. Curry’s letter) specifically stating the criteria for eligibility for salary increases in fiscal years 2010-2011 and 2011-2012. Salary issues facing MSU postdoctoral researchers remain the top priority for the Budget Committee.
The process of reversing salary increases has been difficult at times and is one we hope will not have to be repeated. Throughout this course of action, the question of MSU postdoctoral researcher unionization to raise our collective voice, keep us more aware of decisions made by the administration that affect us, and to help us in negotiating with the administration when the goals of either side are at odds, has been suggested. The issue of unionization is complicated, and one that must be very carefully considered. If unionization of the MSU-postdocs were to occur, it would be by common consent of all MSU postdoctoral employees. For more information on unionization, please see the below announcement.
Issues regarding salary and benefits are always sensitive and frustrating. However, MSU postdoctoral academics are fortunate to have several good allies among MSU administrators, helping us get our voices heard and seeking solutions. These include, but are not limited to, Dr. Klomparens and Dr. Curry, mentioned above, as well as Dr. Tony Nunez, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Director of the MSU Postdoctoral Office (http://grad.msu.edu/pdo/). The victories we have won for postdoctoral academics regarding salary issues would have been much more difficult without their help.
