The Johnsonian

Issue date: 3/5/09 Section: Opinion

In Eddie Scarry's "9 days without pay is least of faculty worries" column, Scarry maintains that faculty should not complain about the nine-day furlough because they are well paid, and have jobs that offer significant benefits. Scarry's primary source for his opinion piece is the Occupational Outlook Handbook.

The Handbook is a reputable source, and I applaud the initiative that Scarry demonstrates in using it. At the same time, Scarry would have been well served to do a little fact checking around Winthrop University before writing his column. Scarry's opinion piece appears to be guided by several assumptions that are entirely or partially false.

Assertion #1: Faculty receive 12 weeks of paid vacation during the summer. Most faculty members work under nine month contracts. At Winthrop University, the contract period is August 15-May 15 in a typical year. Thus the period between May 15 and August 15 is unpaid.

Moreover, unlike staff who work under 12 month contracts, faculty members at Winthrop University do not accrue paid vacation days. Rather, faculty members' paid vacation during the academic year is tied to the academic calendar: Fall break, Winter break and Spring break.

Assertion #2: Faculty members receive tuition waivers for dependents. While this is true at many institutions, it is not the case at Winthrop University.

Assertion #3: Faculty members work on-site 12-16 hours per week with weekends off. Inarguably, one of the most attractive aspects of working as a college professor is the ability to set one's schedule. However, one should not confuse the phrase "work on-site" with "work." Many faculty responsibilities are hidden from the casual observer: grading and class preparation that might take place at home in the evenings or weekends, travel for professional reasons (performances, presentations, or training), and research that must be done off site, for instance.
In addition, many Winthrop faculty members do in fact work on weekends. Some of us are working to get caught up with grading, to conduct research, or attend academic conferences. Faculty members in the College of Business and the Social Work department also teach classes on the weekends.

Assertion #4: Paid Sabbaticals. This assertion is true, but with some important caveats. First Sabbaticals are not an entitlement. At Winthrop University, eligible faculty members may compete for Sabbaticals, which are awarded on the basis of merit. If a faculty member receives a full year Sabbatical, s/he receives only 50 percent of her/his usual salary.

Continued...

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