As you know, the results are in for the September 2003 UT System
"satisfaction" survey, and it shows what we all knew; things are not well
here at UTC. In recent budget hearings and in the Chancellor's welcome
promise to improve things, there is hope, but not much. Examine for a
moment the survey from a glass half full perspective, because that's where
faculty and staff see the university according to the survey.

If you look at the full 22 page report (click through Joe Johnson's
summary) of all the campuses and units surveyed, UTC had the highest
response rate (30%) out of the average for the system of 28%, indicating a
much greater concern here. The overall rate is consistent with web-based
surveys, so UTC faculty and staff are more motivated to speak out. Why?

Well, the answer might lie in the results of the question on adequate
compensation compared to those who work outside UTC. Over half us, 53 % of
UTC employees, "strongly disagreed" with the statement, "I think I am paid
fairly." This was far higher than the next two units which had a 36%
response on the same item: the Knoxville campus and (oddly) University-Wide
Administration.

The average response statewide to the compensation question was 2.20, while
Chattannoga's average response was 1.73, over a standard deviation below
the next lowest response (Knoxville). The non-statistical meaning of this
is that UTC staff and faculty have made a realistic appraisal of our
salaries, which have not been given priority at UTC in many, many years, I
have pointed out. As budget discussions continue for 2004-2005, it looks
like another very modest adjustment to salaries is all we can expect from
the administration. We face many more years of the same unless priorities
are changed to eventually bring us up to equity levels of pay.

Another question, "we can speak out minds without fear of reprisal," had a
statewide response of 2.83, but UTC had the lowest agreement on this
question, an average of 2.49. 25% of employees "strongly disagreed." This
confirms the climate of fear and distrust of administration at UTC. We
certainly do need to work on this through open and honest discussion of
issues without reprisals.

UTC was also lowest in the survey on the question, "the mission of the
university makes me feel my job is important." Perhaps that is why UTC had
a huge statistical deviation on another question, "I have given serious
thought to leaving the university in the past six months." Fully 52% of us
(that's over half) "strongly agreed" or "agreed" with this statement.

Happily, as Chancellor Stacy has pointed out, there were good things in the
survey suggesting that we faculty and employees really want this university
to be as good as the legislature wants us to be.

One indication of faculty dedication and sacrifice to UTC is the recent
recommendation in the Faculty Senate by the Library Committee and
subsequent vote to make library funding, as Provost Friedl reminded me at
the last budget meeting, the "top priority," which means it will not be at
the expense of athletics or other functions, but it will come out of the
already limited budget of academics, and will be more than salary
adjustments in rate of increase or absolute amount, depending on how the
Provost interprets the faculty mandate. Perhaps we want to revisit that
vote and suggest an amount ($250,000 in the theoretical budget) or a
percentage increase. Certainly we all want a decent library, but better
results in workplace satisfaction demand that the top priority be salary.

Richard Rice