Michigan Public Health makes $2M investment in faculty

Exterior image of the University of Michigan School of Public Health.

November 29, 2023

The University of Michigan School of Public Health has made a significant investment in its faculty with a $2 million salary market adjustment program designed to ensure faculty compensation that aligns with competitive market rates.

“Our faculty are critical to our research, teaching, and service missions,” said F. DuBois Bowman, dean of Michigan Public Health. “In addition to recognizing and appreciating their many contributions, we must continue to invest in faculty to excel as a top school of public health.”

In an increasingly competitive market, universities and schools nationwide are reassessing compensation standards to maintain a high-quality faculty. Input from department chairs and a faculty and staff workgroup tasked with making recommendations to improve the school’s competitive advantage drove a year-long process to analyze the school’s faculty salaries and market competitiveness.

School leadership conducted a thorough assessment and market comparison of tenure-track, clinical and research faculty salaries. The adjustment amounts were based on a number of factors, including market salaries among other top schools of public health, historical merit scores, and several measures of experience.

The market adjustment program also helped the school successfully recruit a cohort of 19 new tenure-track faculty in the last 12-month recruitment cycle, one of the largest cohorts in the school’s history.

Salary market competitiveness is a priority across all areas of the school, Bowman said. For staff, the Dean’s Office reviews all salaries annually to ensure they’re within market and makes that data available to supervisors to inform annual staff merit increases. In the last fiscal year, the school invested nearly $600,000 in staff salary increases due to market analysis. 

“We see this market adjustment program as an investment in every aspect of our school and our mission,” Bowman said. “Our faculty are integral to providing an exceptional educational experience for our students, conducting cutting-edge research, and taking action to make a lasting impact on the health of communities near and far.”

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