Mississippi State University saw half as many faculty members leave in 2003 as did in 2002. Even so, the number leaving is still higher than average for the university.
Associate provost George Rent called 2002 a “buyout year” for the university, referring to the program to offer a bonus to professors who chose to retire by June 2002. He said the plan was enacted to help lower MSU’s payroll costs.
“Last year, approximately six or seven times more staff retired in the buyout year than in previous years,” Rent said.
According to Rent, 134 faculty members left in 2002; 73 of these were incentive retirements. In 2003, only 61 faculty members left, and 10 of those were retirements.
Despite the drop to 61, MSU’s 2003 employee turnover rate remains higher than the university’s historical average, which Rent said is 46.
MSU’s employee turnover follows a statewide trend, with a recent College Board study showing 310 full-time professors leaving Mississippi’s eight universities at the end of the 2002-2003 academic year.
These numbers accounted for approximately eight percent of the schools’ total full-time faculty leaving due to the state’s educational budgetary troubles.
“We are probably suffering more than in other states because we are still below average here in salaries offered,” said Rent.
Higher salaries, promotions, and better health benefits serve as primary reasons for why employees choose to leave Mississippi universities for out-of-state employment, Rent said.
The Legislature has also taken steps to raise faculty pay during its last session. A $25 million funding increase passed by the state legislature helped alleviate some of the problems state universities faced a year ago.
In addition, the state legislature considered a proposal for a 12 percent increase for professors to be enacted during the next three years.
Funding the proposal would significantly boost the average $54,000 salary that trails the Southeastern average by more than $7,000 per year. Faculty and staff could receive increases leading their pay up to about $61,000 per year.
Rent said the pay increase could help alleviate some of the problems universities face from employee turnout. These problems include increased recruiting expenses and the possibility of being forced to offer higher salaries to obtain replacements.
MSU also takes some of its own steps in maintaining its staff.
“On some special occasions, the university may give counteroffers to keep very valued faculty members because it’s cheaper than trying to hire a replacement,” said Rent.
He also said that competitive salaries would cause few faculty members to leave the university.
“I think with higher salaries, fewer staff will resign. If we can offer the same benefits and salaries as other places, we should be able to keep more people,” Rent said.