Liyan Song

The meeting provided an overview of a comprehensive pay study conducted at the university to ensure competitive compensation for faculty and exempt staff. Key discussion topics included the methodology for identifying peer institutions for benchmarking, the application of cost-of-living adjustments for the greater Baltimore area, and the findings that a majority of positions are within a competitive range. Future steps discussed include the commitment to raise salaries for individuals falling below 80 percent of the identified market rate and the upcoming internal analysis to address broader issues of pay equity and compression.

The town hall meeting addressed the university's transition to remote exams due to evolving public health data, faculty discretion in managing class grading and academic integrity in the new format, the rationale behind current booster vaccine policies, and updates on the university's initiative to reach R2 research classification, including investments in undergraduate research and faculty support.

The meeting included an announcement regarding institutional diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, featuring a review of a recent DEI summit and the planning for an upcoming January workshop. Discussions also covered communication protocols within the college and committees, the importance of research support for faculty, and updates regarding the committee's work on revising bylaws, travel funding guidelines, and building safety practices.

The town hall meeting addressed faculty concerns regarding teaching loads, research expectations, and advising processes. Discussions focused on the equitable distribution of advisees, the importance of discipline-specific research metrics rather than a standardized grant-based model, and the procedures for proposing new graduate programs, including the introduction of a PhD degree option.

The CLA Council discussed safety and security recommendations, reviewed fall semester enrollment data for the university and the college, and addressed the transition toward R2 status, including the development of new PhD programs. The meeting also covered travel funding policy adjustments, accountability in research funding, and undergraduate research support.