NIU Provost Kendall Baker has proposed to the Board of Regents a “long-term process” pay increase for instructors who receive promotions.

There is no question that most instructors deserve better salaries than they currently are receiving. Anyone would agree higher education instructors hold a wealth of information and knowledge and are far too underpaid for their worth.

It’s high time some kind of increase was given.

Baker’s proposal calls for a $1,500-a-year increase for a faculty member promoted to associate professor. Promotion from associate to full professor would merit a $2,200 increase. Currently, these figures are $450 and $540, respectively.

Baker said a principal problem to consider is what would happen to those promoted before the proposed increase would go into effect.

This potential need for retroactive pay isn’t the only problem the administration faces. In fact this problem seems minor when considering the fact that no one seems to know where the money will come from.

Faculty Assembly members are concerned, but even more unusual, Baker himself said, “It is enormously difficult to identify where funds come from.”

When someone makes a promise but does not know how to keep it, there is a strong possibility someone will get shafted in one way or another. How come the administration is confident enough to propose the idea to the Regents if it does not know where the funds will come from?

Baker said some university projects can be bypassed to make funds for others. But is this happening? If so, what funds and what projects?

The idea of promising salary increases and saying, “I don’t know where it will come from, but it will come from somewhere,” seems irresponsible and somewhat frightening.