PROFESSORS' SALARIES SCANTY

As a result of continual deficits, the unrestricted capital fund of the University has been greatly reduced in the past ten years. The most important effect of this policy of retrenchment has been in preventing the Corporation from granting the teaching force increased salaries to meet the great rise in the cost of living. The following table shows how slow has been the increase in the College teaching budget since 1904: 1904  $436,619 1905,  408,884 1906,  497,640 1907,  523,572 1908,  547,096 1909,  545,252 1910,  578,712 1911,  482,865 1912,  498,920 1913,  498,920 1914,  528,227 1915,  550,723 1916,  600,090 1917,  600,000

Last Increase in 1906.

The large increase for the year 1906 is explained by the receipt of the income from the Teachers' Endowment Fund the principal of which now amounts to over $2,000,000. This fund was raised in 1905 from friends of the University for the express purpose of increasing the salaries in the College. The application of this income resulted in an increase of about 13 per cent to all teachers in the College. Since that time there has been very little advance, practically the same scale of salaries being now in force as in 1906.

In 1903-04 the 57 professors were receiving an average of $3,980; 38 assistant professors an average of $2,130; and 88 instructors an average of $990. Total salaries amounted to $436,619, with a teaching force of 279, an average for all teachers of $1,565. At the present time 87 professors average $4,671; 41 assistant professors, $2,841; 68 instructors $1,252; 21 Austin Teaching Fellows $500; and 89 assistants, $423. These, with tutors, and others, make a total teaching force for the year 1916-17 of 326. The estimated expense for the present year is $600,000, giving an average salary for the whole teaching force at the present time of $1,840.

Thus we see that the average salary in the College jumped in 1906 from $1,565 to about $1,770, an increase of $205 made ten years ago. Since that time the average has gone up to $1,840, owing mostly to the increased yearly expenditure on account of promotions. In other words the average salary advanced about 13 per cent, in 1906 and since then four per cent., the former being the first and only material increase in many years.

Salaries and Cost of Living.

It is interesting to compare the salary figures with the rise in the cost of living during the same interval. Bradstreet's index number which represents the average totals of the prices per pound of 96 commodities was given as $8.05 plus for the year 1904. The corresponding figure on December 31, 1916, was $13.66 plus, an increase of over 69 per cent in 12 years. The salary in the College has increased only 17 per cent, in same period.

Capital Largely Restricted.

As was pointed out when the University's friends were being solicited in 1905, the great gifts to the University from time to time are almost all for the profession schools or for special purposes in the University. It is true that the University capital fund now amounts to over #30,000,000, but of the income from this fund only $425.000 is annually available to meet the College salary and expense item of $1,020,000. The discrepancy is made up from tuition fees and other income, but this shows that although the University, on account of its large capital fund, might be judged, opulent, a greater part of this money is restricted to special uses and cannot be used for salaries.

In the face of these restrictions the growing number of students and courses has demanded an ever-increasing teaching force. The latter has jumped since 1905 from 279 to 326. This increase alone would account for a large part of the extra yearly expenditure indicated in the above table. But besides the addition to the budget through accessions to the Faculty, the normal increase in cost must not be forgotten. An assistant professor upon promotion to a full professorship advances from $3,500 to $4,000. Every five years he receives $500 more until be reaches $5,500, the highest salary in the teaching force. As there are very few full professors less than 40 years of age, it will be seen that a teacher in Harvard cannot expect with normal promotion to earn $4,000 until he is over 40

Last Increase in 1906.

The large increase for the year 1906 is explained by the receipt of the income from the Teachers' Endowment Fund the principal of which now amounts to over $2,000,000. This fund was raised in 1905 from friends of the University for the express purpose of increasing the salaries in the College. The application of this income resulted in an increase of about 13 per cent to all teachers in the College. Since that time there has been very little advance, practically the same scale of salaries being now in force as in 1906.

In 1903-04 the 57 professors were receiving an average of $3,980; 38 assistant professors an average of $2,130; and 88 instructors an average of $990. Total salaries amounted to $436,619, with a teaching force of 279, an average for all teachers of $1,565. At the present time 87 professors average $4,671; 41 assistant professors, $2,841; 68 instructors $1,252; 21 Austin Teaching Fellows $500; and 89 assistants, $423. These, with tutors, and others, make a total teaching force for the year 1916-17 of 326. The estimated expense for the present year is $600,000, giving an average salary for the whole teaching force at the present time of $1,840.

Thus we see that the average salary in the College jumped in 1906 from $1,565 to about $1,770, an increase of $205 made ten years ago. Since that time the average has gone up to $1,840, owing mostly to the increased yearly expenditure on account of promotions. In other words the average salary advanced about 13 per cent, in 1906 and since then four per cent., the former being the first and only material increase in many years.

Salaries and Cost of Living.

It is interesting to compare the salary figures with the rise in the cost of living during the same interval. Bradstreet's index number which represents the average totals of the prices per pound of 96 commodities was given as $8.05 plus for the year 1904. The corresponding figure on December 31, 1916, was $13.66 plus, an increase of over 69 per cent in 12 years. The salary in the College has increased only 17 per cent, in same period.

Capital Largely Restricted.

As was pointed out when the University's friends were being solicited in 1905, the great gifts to the University from time to time are almost all for the profession schools or for special purposes in the University. It is true that the University capital fund now amounts to over #30,000,000, but of the income from this fund only $425.000 is annually available to meet the College salary and expense item of $1,020,000. The discrepancy is made up from tuition fees and other income, but this shows that although the University, on account of its large capital fund, might be judged, opulent, a greater part of this money is restricted to special uses and cannot be used for salaries.

In the face of these restrictions the growing number of students and courses has demanded an ever-increasing teaching force. The latter has jumped since 1905 from 279 to 326. This increase alone would account for a large part of the extra yearly expenditure indicated in the above table. But besides the addition to the budget through accessions to the Faculty, the normal increase in cost must not be forgotten. An assistant professor upon promotion to a full professorship advances from $3,500 to $4,000. Every five years he receives $500 more until be reaches $5,500, the highest salary in the teaching force. As there are very few full professors less than 40 years of age, it will be seen that a teacher in Harvard cannot expect with normal promotion to earn $4,000 until he is over 40