At 05:19 PM 2/9/01 +0000, Gene Gallagher wrote:
> The report argues that the
>gender difference in MIT salary and lab space was justified because "few
>would question the fairness of rewarding those who publish more widely,
>are more frequently cited, or raise the most in grant funds (p. 8, IWF
>report)"
this raises a related but perhaps an even more troubling matter ... (which
many say ... ah shucks, that is just "market" forces at play ... and thus,
don't even consider it a legitimate variable to enter into the fray) ...
but i do
the largest % of the salary variance at most institutions, large ones
anyway, is NOT rank but, college ... ie, variations across colleges are
greater than within ranks ...
these differences can be massive ... (if you think the difference between
male and females anywhere approach college differences, think again)
so, if one wants to examine (IF they do) the matter of productivity ...
then the argument would go something like this:
if you believe that more productivity (assuming rank were constant)
deserves more $$$$ ... then, that notion should apply ACROSS the
institution as a whole ...
which we know does not of course ...
the productivity issue is a lame variable in the overall scheme of things
... since, those making the most money and in the highest salaried colleges
HAVE the most time to devote to this activity called "scholarship" ...
because they have the smallest teaching and advising loads, in general ...
at penn state for example, according to our policy manual, salary
increments are based on MERIT ONLY ... that is, the notion of an across the
board increment for everyone because cost of living goes up ... has no
legal place in our system (rather stupid i say) ... so technically, if only
merit is to be the factor, merit would have to relate (either totally or
darn close to it) ... productivity ..
but, if you try to push the notion of REAL productivity ... the logic
breaks down quickly since, differences in salary seem to have little to do
with productivity ... but rather, WHERE you happen to be within the entire
university system
what DOES productivity mean anyway? the # of articles? who really READS
them? HOW much money you bring in?? how many students you teach? etc. etc.
it is really difficult, at the micro manage level of trying to
differentiate salary ... and salary increments ... by productivity measures
... when it appears that so many NON productivity factors are the key
elements in general level of salary for faculty and, the amount of
increments given
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