Keene State College
PA-9: Employee Compensation

All OS and PAT staff exceed the minimum living wage for one person. KSC does not collect information regarding spousal/domestic partner employment nor access dependent information for purposes of calculating living wage. The College does however limit staff appointments in the lower paying ranges and establishes development plans to advance staff hired in those ranges to higher pay classifications. This is put in place for any hire associated with pay ranges whose midpoint is less than $18.36. Consumer-price index is considered when mass increases are being proposed/developed. Keene State does benchmark all Operating Staff and PAT classification to various salary surveys including CUPA-HR data and NHES data for the state of New Hampshire. The Collective Bargaining Agreement for KSCEA (Keene State College Educational Association) covers all tenure-track, clinical, and resident artist faculty. The rank minimum for all faculty covered by these agreements exceeds the annual salary deemed a living wage for a family of four. Increases for this population are negotiated and comparison to national salary market and the consumer price index are noted. All adjunct faculty (in-unit and not-in-unit are paid at an hourly rate that exceeds the minimum hourly rate deemed a living wage for a family of four. This presupposes crediting 1.25 hours of prep time for each hour of classroom instruction. Not-in-unit faculty are paid at the rate of $680/credit; and in-unit (Keene State College Adjunct Association) are paid at a minimum $1000/credit. These translate to an hourly rate of $20.14 and $29.62 respectively.

Of 391 current OS and PAT staff, only 121 earn an annual salary below the level deemed a living wage for workers in Cheshire County with a family of four. All faculty (641) are associated with sustainable wage structures.

The lowest-paid, regular full-time employees are associated our Operating Staff. The lowest hourly rate provided in 2013-2014 was $13.38/hour. This is complemented however by a very generous benefits package that includes a significant employer contribution to retirement (10% for a 6% employee contribution) and low bi-weekly medical premium deductions ($36.20 for one-person plan; $98.63 for two-person plan and $187.34 for a family plan.) The full benefits package includes access to dental insurance, long-term disability, paid time off, life insurance, and tuition benefits. All employees are also covered for Social Security contributions, unemployment, and workers compensation.

The lowest-paid, regular part-time employees are those Operating Staff in positions less than 100% fte. In 2013-2014, the lowest part-time regular employee was provided a $15.00 hourly rate. This is complemented however by a very generous benefits package that includes a significant employer contribution to retirement (10% for a 6% employee contribution) and low bi-weekly medical premium deductions ($36.20 for one-person plan; $98.63 for two-person plan and $187.34 for a family plan.) The full benefits package includes access to dental insurance, long-term disability, paid time off, life insurance, and tuition benefits. All employees are also covered for Social Security contributions, unemployment, and workers compensation.

The lowest-paid temporary staff are paid minimum wage ($7.25/hour). These appointments are limited to a maximum 25 hours per week as they are intended to be part-time only. A few exceptions have been allowed though the lowest hourly rate for those few employees exceeding 25 hours/week is $11/hour. All employees are also covered for Social Security contributions, unemployment, and workers compensation.

The lowest paid adjunct faculty are those new to the institution who are not covered by the collective bargaining. While some receive higher rates, the minimum per credit rate set for Keene State is $680/credit. Using the IRS’s standard assuming one and a quarter hour of prep time out of class for every hour of instruction, that per credit rate translates to a minimum hourly rate of $20.14. Beginning in 2015, adjunct faculty who teach 12 credits or more are deemed full-time and offered a medical plan option. The institution subsidizes the group insurance plan at $6,000 per employee participant per year.

The lowest student employment hourly rate is $7.25 though the wage schedule varies from $7.25 to $12.00 depending on the nature of the work. All employees are also covered for Social Security contributions, unemployment, and workers compensation.

The institution does host an on-site child care facility though it is associated with our academic programs in education. It is open to the public and subsidies (scholarships) are available to families based on household income. The placements are not reserved for Keene State personnel. Keene State has two retirement plan providers. TIAA-CREF offers an option called “Social Choice,” a variable annuity option. Fidelity does offer a socially responsible plan but it is not available for our employees to elect. Employee headcounts represent the current academic year (2014/2015)