This is the definitive place to discuss everything that makes life on & off campus so unique in Central Virginia.

Moderators: jcmanson, Sly Fox, BuryYourDuke

By rogers3
Registration Days Posts
#547654
Sly Fox wrote:Research vs. Teaching Institutions. We have begun making efforts to move from strictly the latter towards more of the former.
My small Teaching Institution doubles Liberties salaries. My small Teaching Institution is in the bottom of the pack in regards to pay. Lynchburg College pays significantly more than Liberty. Just imagine the impact on the local economy if LU matched LC's pay. The common reply is that these other schools aren't sustainable and aren't fiscally sound. LC is both and is growing, as well.
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By Sly Fox
Registration Days Posts
#547658
I was referencing the local economic impact discussed earlier in the thread. Research institutions tend to be incubators that build business in communities and that has certainly helped Charlottesville.
#547680
I love this decision. It makes use of the facilities we have already invested in while meeting the need of reducing the facilities crew hours and a more intimate basketball arena. Location is near the students, where it should be, and will hopefully see the restructure of the facade and roof of Vines.
#547683
ballah09 wrote:New arena coming in 2020.

http://www.newsadvance.com/news/local/l ... bb991.html

Really hope they make it where the students are closer to the court. Really give us a home court advantage. I think it will attract more students as well. Have a real student section.
4,000 is just a tad small IMHO, but I get it. Really liked the idea Jon discussed of building something that could be converted for larger or smaller crowds, but DON'T like the idea of curtains, and something else could be a logistic nightmare. I certainly hope a major "refreshing" of the Vines is part of the plan. Shame to have a sparkling new state-of-the-art place for "ordinary" games and then have to use a relative dump for the big ones.
#547684
They need to pull out all the stops and make this facility a real jewel. UNCA, Campbell and Coastal have all built nice new 3,000-3,500 seat facilities recently and HP is about to build one that you can bet will be a lot nicer. We need to blow them all away.
#547685
olldflame wrote:They need to pull out all the stops and make this facility a real jewel. UNCA, Campbell and Coastal have all built nice new 3,000-3,500 seat facilities recently and HP is about to build one that you can bet will be a lot nicer. We need to blow them all away.
Knowing Liberty and with their recent projects, no doubt it's going to be one of the best in the nation. They have to out do everybody.
By rogers3
Registration Days Posts
#547686
Cider Jim wrote:With all due respect, rogers3, this link seems to contradict your salary generalizations:

https://www.indeed.com/salaries/Assista ... a?start=10
I'd like to believe it, but I know too many people at local institutions who most definitely don't see such a minor disparity as is shown on Indeed. Wages paid by the state schools are actually posted and are public. I wouldn't expect this at Liberty, but it isn't uncommon for a full Professor at UVa to reach beyond 200,000/yr. If LU does half that, it would be a shock ( unless they are friends or family, of course). The last I heard was that an Asst. didn't earn 60k, and also had double the workload. Maybe things are changing, though.
#547688
rogers3 wrote:
Cider Jim wrote:With all due respect, rogers3, this link seems to contradict your salary generalizations:

https://www.indeed.com/salaries/Assista ... a?start=10
I'd like to believe it, but I know too many people at local institutions who most definitely don't see such a minor disparity as is shown on Indeed. Wages paid by the state schools are actually posted and are public. I wouldn't expect this at Liberty, but it isn't uncommon for a full Professor at UVa to reach beyond 200,000/yr. If LU does half that, it would be a shock ( unless they are friends or family, of course). The last I heard was that an Asst. didn't earn 60k, and also had double the workload. Maybe things are changing, though.
If you look closely, that is page 2 of 3. The salaries on page 1 are higher (UVA over 100g and VT over 80) page 3 are a bit lower (VMI the lowest at 45g)
#547704
olldflame wrote:
rogers3 wrote:
Cider Jim wrote:With all due respect, rogers3, this link seems to contradict your salary generalizations:

https://www.indeed.com/salaries/Assista ... a?start=10
I'd like to believe it, but I know too many people at local institutions who most definitely don't see such a minor disparity as is shown on Indeed. Wages paid by the state schools are actually posted and are public. I wouldn't expect this at Liberty, but it isn't uncommon for a full Professor at UVa to reach beyond 200,000/yr. If LU does half that, it would be a shock ( unless they are friends or family, of course). The last I heard was that an Asst. didn't earn 60k, and also had double the workload. Maybe things are changing, though.
If you look closely, that is page 2 of 3. The salaries on page 1 are higher (UVA over 100g and VT over 80) page 3 are a bit lower (VMI the lowest at 45g)

But it’s a ministry.........
By JK37
Registration Days Posts
#547714
olldflame wrote:They need to pull out all the stops and make this facility a real jewel. UNCA, Campbell and Coastal have all built nice new 3,000-3,500 seat facilities recently and HP is about to build one that you can bet will be a lot nicer. We need to blow them all away.
Think Wofford. I’ve been in every corner of each one you mentioned. I’m not being hyperbolic when I say Wofford blows all of those away.

Blow Wofford away (if it’s possible), and I’ll literally faint.
By rogers3
Registration Days Posts
#547750
Purple Haize wrote:
olldflame wrote:
If you look closely, that is page 2 of 3. The salaries on page 1 are higher (UVA over 100g and VT over 80) page 3 are a bit lower (VMI the lowest at 45g)

But it’s a ministry.........
UVa has a different strategy to bring in talent. These are 2015-16 payroll numbers.

University of Virginia employee salaries - 2015-16


Maybe we beat Longwood?
#547770
The boss has been lurking. I'm sure he can provide some insight into why millions continue to be poured into athletic facilities yet salaries continue to be low.

These kinds of things should be much simpler to take care of these days.

But you're right, PH, it's a ministry...
By Old Red
Posts
#547950
I’ve got another question. Anybody know why the area between the parking garage & the hill below the mansion is blocked off?
They’ve had construction fencing around it for a while, & have some construction materials stored inside.
Are they planning another building there? Maybe a classroom annex for the School of Divinity (kinda like the School of Music)?
Seems like they would have put grass down once the tower was done if they didn’t have other plans. Anything in the rumor mill?
#547953
Old Red wrote:I’ve got another question. Anybody know why the area between the parking garage & the hill below the mansion is blocked off?
They’ve had construction fencing around it for a while, & have some construction materials stored inside.
Are they planning another building there? Maybe a classroom annex for the School of Divinity (kinda like the School of Music)?
Seems like they would have put grass down once the tower was done if they didn’t have other plans. Anything in the rumor mill?
I’m not sure if this is still part of the plan, but I seem as though the next two building that would be built around that area will be the honors school (a top by the hill which would become honors dorms). Again, I’m not sure that is still part of the master plan.
#547954
The north camera from the tower shows the area pretty well. They still have to tie in the campus walk from the tower to the new athletic center. The honors college was slated to go on that hill but there's nothing there to suggest that is still the plan.
By JLFJR
Registration Days Posts
#548578
rogers3 and others need to take BUSI 101 again. Just because subsidized state schools and soon to be extinct small private schools pay more than market salaries doesn’t mean LU should. LU pays market rate salaries. If we didn’t, our faculty and staff would leave (ministry or not) but we don’t have a turnover problem. LU offers one of the best benefit packages around and the opportunity for faculty to benefit from overload teaching online. You would be surprised what the faculty earn at LU. It is true that some could make more money elsewhere but would have to endure an atmosphere that is intolerant and hostile toward their worldview. There are intangible benefits at LU in that regard. Liberty’s financial success is tied to its commitment to operate according to sound business principles based on the free market. Many of our competitors are free spenders who expect the taxpayers, their donors and students to cover their losses through more and more subsidies, gifts and excessive tuition. After all that, many also spend down their endowments every year by far more than they earn. Their practices are not sustainable. By contrast, LU’s endowment increased by 19% last year, more than all but two universities in the US (and the two that were ahead of us were due to special one-time gifts). LU’s endowment has grown by double digit % rates for years. LU’s goal is to operate under a sustainable business model that will allow it to carry out its Christian mission permanently and not irresponsibly over-spend hoping that others will bail us out. Been there, done that. So don’t compare LU to schools that operate that way. Our mission is not to make the local economy flourish, even though they are benefiting greatly from our success.
#548583
I understand that and I respect that but at the same time scratch my head a bit at the logic. The changes and upgrades to facilities and to the campus are well overdue and I believe a sound investment for future generations of students.

At some point faculty and staff need to be rewarded more than they are for Liberty's success. All the things you said are great but when literally millions are being poured into athletics but salaries for faculty and staff remain fairly low it is only natural to question why. These are also questions many current employees have as well but like you said LU does have a fantastic benefits package and the other intangibles you mentioned so they let it slide.

I would never question your business savvy but at the same time I would like to see the staff get rewarded more than they are.

Thank you for posting. Your willingness to discuss your point of view is refreshing.
#548594
Can't argue with the market rate idea, makes sense. However, does this argument work both ways? The presidents of the public schools in Virginia make less than the President of Liberty University... If I were a staff or faculty member at Liberty University I would not like this argument about market rate salaries knowing that the person saying that makes far more than a market rate salary...

I love the growth that is happening at Liberty and its mission but I hear time and time again about friends who are not fairly compensated for the work that they do.
#548598
I'm actually going to defend the benefits package here. The healthcare package my wife(LU employee) has would cost well over $1k a month with my employer. Furthermore, Continuing education for the cost of books and taxes? Essentially my wife will graduate with her masters without accruing any additional debt. Not to mention discounted season tickets. Sure her salary has a painfully low cap, but we are saving tens of thousands of dollars every year with her benefit package.
#548605
The benefits are great. I still believe the faculty and staff are very under paid. Especially considering how top heavy the pay is for others within the university.

I will say this, it is much better than it once was but just because it is better does not mean there still isn't room for improvement.
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