Volume 3, Issue 5
Spring 2000

As of Fall 1999, PSU faculty consisted of 1,528 members; 1,169 (77%) were full-time (FTE of .5 or greater) and 359 (23%) were part-time. The majority of part-time faculty were adjunct instructors who generally teach one course each term. This Research Update focuses on full-time instructional faculty who spend at least half of their time teaching. As of Fall 1999, 611 (40%) faculty members were full-time instructional faculty.

Tenure and Rank

Of the 611 full-time instructional faculty members, 333 (54%) hold tenured positions (see Figure 1). The number of tenured positions has been stable over the last decade, averaging close to 330 positions per year. The number of fixed term positions has increased every year since 1993 (see Figure 2).

 

 

Figure 3 shows the ranks of full-time instructional faculty. The number of professors dropped by 5% since fall 1998, while the number of assistant professors grew by 3% during the same time period. This change can be explained, in part, by the replacement of retired faculty members.

 

 

Years of Service

The average length of service for full-time female faculty is 12 years. For male faculty the average length of service is 14 years. Figure 4 displays the distribution in five year increments. The largest proportion of faculty (33%) have 1 to 5 years of service. Close to 21% have over twenty years of service.

 

 

 

Degree level

Figure 5 shows the degree level of faculty by tenure. Ninety-percent (549) of all full-time instructional faculty possess a doctorate degree or the terminal degree in their academic profession.

 

 

 

 

 

Teaching Load

During fall term, instructional faculty (both full and part-time), taught 69% of all classes offered. Adjunct faculty taught close to 11% percent. Classes include lectures, labs, seminars discussions, and independent research/by arrangement courses.

 

 

 

Salaries

Table 1 shows the average salaries of faculty. In order to make appropriate comparisons, only 9-month contracts with 1.0 FTE were included. On average, professors make 28% more than associate professors and 48% more than assistant professors. (Comparisons of salaries along gender lines should not be made with these data because Table 1 does not take into consideration academic discipline or length of service).

Figure 7 shows the array of salaries across this population.

 

Gender

The percentage of female faculty has been increasing over the last decade (see Figure 8). Currently, 43% (262) of the faculty are female and 57% (347) are male. In the last 3 years, PSU has been especially successful in recruiting female faculty.

 

 

  

 

 

 

Figure 9 shows hiring and retention trends over the last five years. Since 1997, female faculty hires have exceeded male hires. The five year average retention rate for new hires however, is the same for both females and males at 84%.

 

 

 

Diversity

The diversity of PSU faculty has increased over the last ten years. Those who have self-identified as belonging to a minority ethnic population have increased from 5% in 1990 to 10% in 1999 (see Figure 10). Figure 11 shows the ethnic background of faculty and students (both undergraduate and graduate). Ten percent of the full-time instructional faculty declared a minority ethnic background compared to 18% of the student population. The largest percentage difference is in the Asian population; 5 % of the faculty claimed an Asian/Pacific Islander background compared to 9% for the student population.

The faculty at PSU represent varied backgrounds including degrees attained, teaching experience, and ethnicity. The proportion of female faculty has increased over the last decade, making gender representation among faculty more balanced. Representation of ethnic minorities among faculty members has also increased. For more information about faculty demographics contact David Burgess at (503) 725-3434 or e-mail him at burgesd@mail.pdx.edu.