MLA’s recommended salaries

[Mobius]

The Modern Language Association is recommending new assistants start at $76,000 per year and adjuncts get paid $11,400 per three-credit hour class. That was a good laugh, even though adjuncts usually get paid very little.

https://twitter.com/daycathy/status/1380330594677235722?s=21

[Ruralguy]

As long as they don't mind "fulls" making 75, then this might go through in some places.

[polly_mer]

Every couple years, the MLA generalizes from the elite institutions where the majority of the TT jobs are and the laughter from the hinterlands is heard.

[dismalist]

Will the MLA finance its recommendations? It can borrow, after all.

[Mobius]

This isn't a new recommendation, but noticed several academics in my Twitter feed bring it up this week. I chuckled a bit.

[PScientist]

Very nice recommendation.  I am a full professor in physics, and I don't make quite that much.  I guess I should have been an English major instead.

[apl68]

Every couple years, the MLA generalizes from the elite institutions where the majority of the TT jobs are and the laughter from the hinterlands is heard.

The American Library Association does something similar each year.

[polly_mer]

Every couple years, the MLA generalizes from the elite institutions where the majority of the TT jobs are and the laughter from the hinterlands is heard.

The American Library Association does something similar each year.

I bet.  I haven't seen those ALA announcements, but I've been laughing with the MLA for a good while.

[Ruralguy]

Does it have any effect?

I know for 20+ years, we've been saying we are trying to get to the AAUP 80th percentile, but never have (one problem is that it is not geographically COL adjusted, so I think its hopeless for small rural colleges. Also, they go by means and not medians). But at least AAUP is fairly wide ranging, at least for the US.

The MLA has limited scope, and also doesn't seem to be basing this on data in any way (unless they are just saying that all assistant profs should make the mean assistant prof salary as elites, which is obviously unrealistic).

[marshwiggle]

Does the MLA have a recommended tuition as well?

[Sun_Worshiper]

While I see why this is unrealistic outside R1 land, I don't think those numbers are unreasonable in theory. $75k is well below the average for a person with a professional degree or a PhD. And while it will, at best, only move the needle in a marginal way, these kinds of recommendations can help to establish some best practices.

[Mobius]

Does it have any effect?

I know for 20+ years, we've been saying we are trying to get to the AAUP 80th percentile, but never have (one problem is that it is not geographically COL adjusted, so I think its hopeless for small rural colleges. Also, they go by means and not medians). But at least AAUP is fairly wide ranging, at least for the US.

The MLA has limited scope, and also doesn't seem to be basing this on data in any way (unless they are just saying that all assistant profs should make the mean assistant prof salary as elites, which is obviously unrealistic).

Our administration and union pays attention to CUPA data, and there was a bump last year to get us to around 80% of CUPA means outside of normal COL increases in the CBA. There isn't a wide disparity among fields, and I think only 2-3 fields get higher pay in our CBA.

[polly_mer]

While I see why this is unrealistic outside R1 land, I don't think those numbers are unreasonable in theory. $75k is well below the average for a person with a professional degree or a PhD. And while it will, at best, only move the needle in a marginal way, these kinds of recommendations can help to establish some best practices.

You haven't lived far enough down the prestige scale and spent time with regional CUPA figures in the hinterlands if you can make that statement.

[Sun_Worshiper]

While I see why this is unrealistic outside R1 land, I don't think those numbers are unreasonable in theory. $75k is well below the average for a person with a professional degree or a PhD. And while it will, at best, only move the needle in a marginal way, these kinds of recommendations can help to establish some best practices.

You haven't lived far enough down the prestige scale and spent time with regional CUPA figures in the hinterlands if you can make that statement.

Did you miss this part of my comment?: "I see why this is unrealistic outside R1 land"

[mleok]

While I see why this is unrealistic outside R1 land, I don't think those numbers are unreasonable in theory. $75k is well below the average for a person with a professional degree or a PhD. And while it will, at best, only move the needle in a marginal way, these kinds of recommendations can help to establish some best practices.

You haven't lived far enough down the prestige scale and spent time with regional CUPA figures in the hinterlands if you can make that statement.

Did you miss this part of my comment?: "I see why this is unrealistic outside R1 land"

Did you miss the part where most of the universities in the US are not R1s?