Murray State’s Faculty Senate voted on alterations to the University’s budget that would increase pay for professors and change the way that internships are funded.
Brenda Reeves, chair of the Finance Committee, presented a recommendation for the Budget Advisory Committee on faculty salary. According to the recommendation, increases would be made to the promotion salaries of assistant and associate professors who rise in rank.
The recommended increase would compensate for inflation and cost of living. The last changes made to these salaries were two decades ago. The Faculty Senate voted in favor of directing the recommendation to the Budget Advisory Committee.
The second recommendation from Tuesday’s meeting was an endorsement to re-evaluate how internships and co-ops are funded. They are currently included in the summer school model, meaning that funding for these programs (including instructor compensation) comes from the summer budget.
The endorsement would encourage the University’s academic schools and colleges to produce their own plans that would cover the costs of these programs. The Faculty Senate voted in favor of presenting this endorsement as well.
Lastly, the senate determined its support of the establishment of a veterinary school of medicine. Despite its major programs in agriculture and veterinary technology, Murray State does not have its own veterinary school of medicine and cannot award doctorate degrees in such, as outlined in Kentucky Revised Statute (KRS) 164.295. Change may be on the horizon, however, as the Faculty Senate voted in favor of showing support.
Many Faculty Senate officers are seeing the end of their term this year and elections for the positions of president, vice president and secretary of the senate will be held on April 1.
David Roach, president of the Faculty Senate, announced during the meeting that he will not be running for re-election after the end of his term. Roach said it was a difficult decision to make and commented on his perceived success of the senate and the positive ability of its members to work together.
“I have been pondering it over the break and it would be incompatible with my other idea—to announce my candidacy (for) Faculty Regent,” Roach said. “It’s been six years (as president). Maybe it’s time for some new leadership in this position.”
The Faculty Senate holds meetings on the first Tuesday of each month from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. in the Barkley Room of the Curris Center.
