Memo: Five Priorities to Improve Faculty Morale

Quoted Document:

FIVE PRIORITIES FOR LIFTING FACULTY MORALE AND PRODUCTIVITY

This document was created by Dr. James Nelson, Jr. after input from twelve senior professors at Shaw

As you know, faculty members currently have no independent mechanism to recommend and effect change. Even our department, school, and general faculty meetings usually function as instruments to disseminate information from the top. The result is that great ideas informally discussed among a few teachers rarely get a chance to be collectively discussed or adopted.

Nevertheless, twelve faculty members in the last few weeks contemplated five priorities needed to improve faculty morale and productivity at Shaw University. Having found that teachers at Shaw often expend much energy either in expressing anger and resentment, or in suppressing those emotions to keep their job, we sought to visualize what outstanding work faculty could accomplish if their presence at Shaw evoked more positive emotions. To begin progress toward such a vision, our group generated the ideas presented below.


1. Restore yearly contracts, multi-year contracts and tenure

➢ Goal: To support long-term commitment in employees.

Our at-will clause states that “both you and Shaw reserve the right to end the employment relationship at any time.” This statement provides no process to address arbitrary decisions, stifles creativity, and ultimately destroys the bond a teacher has in students and the administration. The result is often mutual exploitation, where many feel the administration is using implied intimidation to exercise control and where the faculty may retaliate by legally quitting any time during the school year. Both actions work to the detriment of students. We suggest the bond between faculty and the institution should be one of mutual respect, trust and devotion. Contracts and tenure have been time tested ways that support excellence.

2. Utilize an Evaluation System to enhance faculty salaries

➢ Goal: To reward the services of those who have contributed dearly to Shaw University.

Faculty morale is decimated by the numerous rumors and gossip circulating around campus about new hires, staff, and even secretaries receiving monetary rewards far in excess of existing faculty. In order to ensure commitment, our long term, dedicated teachers need to feel that their services are valued and rewarded. Several suggestions offered by faculty include an annual salary review and publication of a salary scale based on merit which would take faculty rank and years of experience into consideration. Several faculty expressed dismay that the administration has not developed procedures that match their statements of the last few years about salary equity.

3. Institute a maximum twelve semester hour teaching load

➢ Goal: To allow faculty time to pursue other important University goals, such as research, service projects, committee work, and student-oriented initiatives.

A twelve semester hour teaching load is a universal standard that many believe enables a faculty to carry on other necessary enrichment activities valuable to the University. Many faculty members attempt to supplement their low salary by doing overloads. Some faculty reported they taught overloads but never received overload pay. Some deplored the new rules in January restricting or eliminating overload pay after the Fall, 2006 overload work was already done. Others resented that part-time, lesser qualified faculty were sometimes paid more than regular faculty for teaching the same overload courses. We also recommend that the overload pay policy be addressed since the pay is far below that of comparable institutions of higher education.

4. Include the faculty in the employment process

➢ Goal: To allow all faculty members to feel they have a stake in the growth of Shaw University.

Almost all in-house positions on campus are filled by administrators who select their desired person. Most times this is done without informing any other faculty of the vacancy or any apparent public attempt to find the best person. The result is that many faculty members neither feel appreciated nor do they have a stake in the growth of our University. Several faculty members suggested that all faculty be informed of and be able to apply for in-house positions. The faculty also felt that external positions should be advertised not only on Shaw’s web site, but in a national publication, such as the “Chronicle of Higher Education”. Faculty finally felt that each area should have an employment committee that should be consulted before finalizing new employment within their area.

5. Restore the Faculty Senate

➢ Goal: To institute proper respect and consideration for the ideas of faculty.

Our group feels that teachers are given little opportunity to get involved in the decision- making process of the university. Faculty must have input in establishing the agenda of faculty meetings. Faculty felt they must have a place where they can voice their concerns, concerns such as the very unhygienic conditions in the Tupper building, lack of cleanliness in many of our other buildings, lack of effective boards, chalk and erasers, huge potholes on campus damaging their cars, and the low quality of many students on campus. Many felt that it is important that the administration create a sense of involvement of the faculty. Faculty representation is mandated by SACS and will make the faculty feel committed to the growth of the University and thus more willing to serve. In addition to the creation of a Faculty Senate, faculty felt that the Senate should choose representatives to serve on the President’s Cabinet and on the Board of Trustees.

Email: Five Priorities for Lifting Faculty Morale

Quoted Document:

From: Nelson Jr., James
Sent: Monday, October 01, 2007 10:42 AM
To: Faculty; Library
Cc: Newsome, Dr. Clarence G.; Perry, Martel; Thomas, Dr. Herman; Banks, Deogratias; Crawford, Diane
Subject: Five Priorities for Lifting Faculty Morale

Attachment: <>

During the last few weeks, twelve senior faculty members at Shaw University discussed five priorities to improve faculty morale and productivity. The attached report is full of recommendations that will help Shaw grow into the glorious institution we all desire. We seek faculty who firmly, yet respectfully, ask our University to adopt these priorities.

While some may dismiss these priorities as just another criticism of our administration, they are not written to disparage our fine administrators who probably love Shaw as much as we do. In particular, an initial discussion with our Vice President, Dr. Herman Thomas, indicates him to be a concerned, decent man who will support the broad outline of these priorities.

Instead, these priorities are written because we admire our faculty. It saddens us to see so many loyal faculty members at Shaw relegated into low paid jobs where they get dreadful respect, trust, or support. It further dismays us to watch teachers expend much energy either in expressing anger and resentment, or in suppressing those emotions to keep their job. We sought to visualize what outstanding work faculty could accomplish if their presence at Shaw evoked more positive emotions. These recommendations are provided to elicit these positive emotions.

Unfortunately, when faculty members acquiesce without resistance, we align ourselves with the very forces that seek to deny us participation in our university. This acquiescence further assures these forces that we are not worthy. As a consequence, they become emboldened into imposing even harsher sacrifices and penalties on faculty.

We urge all faculty members to do at least two of three simple, non-threatening, yet courageous acts:

(1) Write a letter to our President, Dr. Clarence Newsome, and other top administrators, indicating your support for the priorities and urge the administrators to adopt them;

(2) Introduce motions and suggestions at all future campus meetings involving faculty to discuss and approve recommendations in the priorities, such as

“I move that this area recommends the University reinstates the Faculty Senate by December 1, 2007”

“I recommend that Faculty Salaries be placed on the agenda of our next meeting”

“I propose that Faculty Loads and Overloads be placed on our agenda today”

“I move that this area recommends that the University abolish at-will appointment letters and reinstate a minimum one-year contract by March, 2008”

“I recommend that the University restores faculty input into the governance of the University by December 1, 2007”;

(3) Volunteer to serve on a committee of faculty that will coordinate all further efforts to improve faculty morale and productivity.

When we do these simple acts, we take the first steps that demonstrate our sincere desire to be an integral part in making this University great.

Simple, Non-Threatening, Courageous Acts

This week I received a forwarded email discussing concerns of some faculty at Shaw University. It was an invitation to a conversation. I was not part of meetings from which the document emerged, but I like very much what it had to say and how it said it.

Part of the difficulty university faculty face, whether at Shaw or elsewhere, is the time and opportunity to discuss and act on matters pertinent to their work and the work of the school. When these opportunities are not structured into university life, faculty find themselves relying on the conversations in the hallways, in the parking lots, and at the coffee pots. These fragmented conversations often elicit important ideas, but the bits and pieces of progress lie unresolved or even dormant, while the day-to-day concerns preoccupy our thoughts and energies.

Now and then, these scraps of communal discernment find their way into a document. Some such documents are carefully worded and diplomatic. Yet if there is no energy or structure to keep them moving, the conversation may not go anywhere. Other times, a faculty member may shoot off a hot letter to vent frustration. This often results in a crisis of relationships that forecloses further conversation.

The document "Five Priorities to Improve Faculty Morale" is not the kind of statement that should cut off dialogue. It is composed in reasonable language with appropriate respect for the conversation partners. It does not pretend that all is well, nor does it demonize people by singling them out as the cause of problems. It asks for conversation on important topics, and it expresses a set of priorities clearly. By showing respect and explaining reasons, "Five Priorities" offers to continue a conversation rather than to drop a bomb and see who are the casualties.

It would be pointless to ask for conversation on the pretense that faculty members have not already come to some conclusions of their own about how to improve the university and their place in its work. This document is direct on a number of issues such as at-will employment, contracts and tenure, hiring processes, structures of faculty governance, faculty workload, and compensation. Who would be surprised that these are on the agenda? Acknowledging them is a key step toward addressing them. Thus, by being specific, the "Five Priorities" helps establish the ground for a robust conversation.

Additionally, "Five Priorities" clarifies for the faculty that our role in the university is never as passive recipients of action, nor merely as responders to the work of others. We also are initiators of the work that makes a university what it must be.

All who have studied the history of universities would know that they began as gatherings of students in cities where groups of teachers had congregated. The essence of a university resides in its faculty's capacity to preserve, pass on, and create the knowledge which allows humanity to thrive.

Over the centuries, innovations have led to administrative units which structure that process so that students and public communities can better benefit from the university's work. Therefore the modern university depends on both administration and faculty to assure its effective work. They must work together. Even if they have not been at odds, in isolation they will be hindered from accomplishing all that they can. The "Five Priorities" asks faculty to take initiative to deal with matters which for many seem to have been delayed for too long.

I have been considering launching this blog since late June. The time now seems right. It is not a perfect medium, but I hope it can be useful. Perhaps it will provide a setting where topics of concern and interest to our faculty can be examined and discussed. It may be that some better way to have this conversation will emerge, and rest assured that I have no vested interest in being in charge of the conversation. For now, I look forward to seeing your comments and interactions.

With this commendation, let me encourage you to review the document. Ask a colleague for a copy if you have not seen it. I hope to include it on this site in future postings.