undergraduate thesis supervision and compensation

[sinenomine]

My institution is reviewing compensation for additional duties carried out by faculty. Currently faculty who direct/supervise undergraduate theses are paid $500 per student, and I'm curious how that compares elsewhere. Are faculty where forumites work paid for overseeing undergrad theses, and if so, for how much?

[onthefringe]

Zilch, zero, nada. And, since I'm in a lab science, I also pay for the materials they use to generate their "data" so on any short term scientific level it's usually a net monetary loss. I don't even get teaching credit despite the fact that they are signed up for undergrad research/thesis credits in my lab.

For comparison puposes I am at a large state R1.

[Sun_Worshiper]

We don't get extra compensation for this kind of thing. It is just part of the job.

I'm also at a large state R1.

[Morden]

We get $500 for supervising an honour student's thesis project. I think there's a max number (maybe 3) you can supervise in one year. 

[spork]

$500 is about what we get paid. For us, a thesis is treated as independent/directed study. Student registers for 3 credits, pay the tuition, faculty get paid on a per head basis.

Private 4-year institution.

Addendum: in my opinion, the money isn't worth the time and effort. I decline thesis supervision like I decline independent studies.

[Hegemony]

Wow, I've never heard of this. We get paid nothing.

[RatGuy]

Tenure-track faculty do not get compensated. There is currently a debate among non-TT faculty here. Some departments/colleges pay those instructors the equivalent of an overload class, which is a percentage of base salary. Some departments count it as the service component for those faculty members. It's gotten messy. And it's one of the reasons the provost is looking at standardizing non-TT titles and position descriptions across all the colleges.

[Parasaurolophus]

.02 of a section, so ~$200. The hitch is that we're not allowed to overload, which means that when you take on a supervisee you have to go down to 7.02 sections. So you actually take a $9800 pay cut. (Who runs this place?!)

But since most departments don't offer any kind of degree, certificate, or other credential, it doesn't come up often.

[onthefringe]

.02 of a section, so ~$200. The hitch is that we're not allowed to overload, which means that when you take on a supervisee you have to go down to 7.02 sections. So you actually take a $9800 pay cut. (Who runs this place?!)

But since most departments don't offer any kind of degree, certificate, or other credential, it doesn't come up often.

Ok, you win for least logical plan!

[Liquidambar]

Wow, I've never heard of this. We get paid nothing.

Same here.  I'm trying to at least get it added as part of merit evaluation so we get merit points for doing it.

Addendum: in my opinion, the money isn't worth the time and effort. I decline thesis supervision like I decline independent studies.

I don't do independent studies, but I often do thesis supervision.  Every now and then it leads to a publication.  Plus, it's one of the more rewarding activities I do with students.

[MarathonRunner]

It depends on whether the undergraduate thesis is required for the program, or whether it's an option for fourth year students (in lieu of a special topics course). Also depends on whether the undergrad is helping with an existing project for their thesis, or whether it is their own, independent, project.

[Ruralguy]

I'm at a private SLAC (under-enrolled, but not plummeting at the moment, but increasing significant endowment).

We are constantly struggling to think of ways to compensate such things (and directed research outside of a course) in general. If your school is cash poor and wants to do this, then possibly a banking system is in order (assign it fractional load---and then when it adds up to "1" load unit, faculty member can cash it in, but only for a release, not actual money). However, handing out a few releases every semester will also have its problems (though when we went through this list of faculty who would currently qualify if the banking system had been in place the last few years is just a handful...and sometimes just the same several over and over again).

So, though 500 bucks is not much, its more than most of us are getting, or at least most of us reporting here (and across institutional types also). We do indeed get more if its a *summer student* though.

[Parasaurolophus]

.02 of a section, so ~$200. The hitch is that we're not allowed to overload, which means that when you take on a supervisee you have to go down to 7.02 sections. So you actually take a $9800 pay cut. (Who runs this place?!)

But since most departments don't offer any kind of degree, certificate, or other credential, it doesn't come up often.

Ok, you win for least logical plan!

Do I win more or less than $200, and does it count towards my workload?

[onthefringe]

.02 of a section, so ~$200. The hitch is that we're not allowed to overload, which means that when you take on a supervisee you have to go down to 7.02 sections. So you actually take a $9800 pay cut. (Who runs this place?!)

But since most departments don't offer any kind of degree, certificate, or other credential, it doesn't come up often.

Ok, you win for least logical plan!

Do I win more or less than $200, and does it count towards my workload?

Clearly you just need to supervise 50 undergrad theses and presto chango! course release!

Wait, how many undergrads in your program?

[filologos]

We are required to advise up to three per year. No extra pay. I'm at a very small liberal arts college.