Seven miles away, 20 percent more pay…

Idaho’s higher education leaders talk a lot about how their faculty salaries lag behind comparable institutions in the region. The University of Idaho has a particular problem competing with Washington State University, UI President Tim White said, because it’s just 7 miles away, but has a faculty salary structure that’s “15 to 20 percent higher than ours.” In looking at faculty turnover, he said, “In every case where we lose somebody who we don’t want to lose, salaries and benefits are often the leading concern.”