While more than 200 faculty members received some kind of salary adjustment this year, sinking the notion that no raises were given, most faculty are no better off than last year.

Of NIU’s 1,693 faculty members, 13 percent, 222, show an increase in their montly salary over last year.

NIU Provost Kendall Baker said the increases are the result of promotions, counteroffers, retirement arrangements and increases as part of Presidential Research or Teaching Professor awards.

Baker said 166 of the increases already have been explained. “As I indicated to the Faculty Senate, there are 92 faculty, there are eight people outside the academic area, that’s 100, and there are 66 that are full-time temporaries,” Baker said.

The remaining increases can be explained by reasons relating to employment and status changes, Baker said.

Part-time faculty members who went from teaching one class to two classes would show a higher monthly salary even though they are paid at the same rate.

Some faculty members received administrative stipends for extra responsibilities such as department chair.

Baker said some people changed jobs within NIU, including some who went from temporary to permanent employment in another division.

“When you include everyone but civil service, it’s going to have all of these other categories of people who will show as raises, but who in fact are working more,” he said.

Promotions also account for increases. Promotion from assistant to associate professor carries a $1,500 raise and promotion to full professor brings an extra $2,200.

“We argued the case to the chancellor’s office that we must provide raises to the folks that have been promoted at the university. If you get promoted and don’t get the raise that you are entitled to, the rest of your salary earning at the university for the rest of your career is going to be affected by that loss,” Baker said.

Unlike most years, there is no state allowance this year for merit raises or the usual small across-the-board increase.

Following the rollercoaster patterns of state funding, salary increases rose from zero in FY 1988 to 6 percent in FY89. It then peaked at 9 percent in FY90, and slid to 2 percent last year before plunging back to zero.