STROUP SAYS 6.9 PERCENT RAISE FOR FACULTY `VERY GOOD NEWS'

The salary average for Southeast Missouri State University faculty rose 6.9 percent between fall 1992 and fall 1993, the highest percentage hike among Missouri's public, four-year colleges and universities.

"I do think that is very good news," university President Kala Stroup said at a meeting of about 300 of the school's faculty Wednesday afternoon.

Since becoming president of the institution in July 1990, Stroup has made efforts to hike faculty salaries one of her priorities.

She also said that the university is attracting a larger number of top students. Eight percent of the school's entering freshmen this fall ranked first, second or third in their high school class.

Southeast has 161 students who have Bright Flight scholarships.

Terry Sutton, Faculty Senate chairman, said faculty members are implementing a program to improve the work climate at Southeast.

"The overall objective is to change the institutional climate, to make our professional and personal interactions more humanistic and mutually supportive," said Sutton. "Byproducts of this faculty initiative will be increased job satisfaction, renewed collegiality, increased professionalism and unbridled creativity."

Said Sutton, "Many colleagues have told me that to them teaching at Southeast is just a job, implying that it is really no different from working on an assembly line or digging trenches."

He said the program, similar to quality management efforts in businesses, should help inspire faculty members.

Sutton said the program, which is being developed, is designed to improve "the human environment" at Southeast.

Without some improvements, the university may continue to experience a declining enrollment and some faculty members could ultimately be out of jobs, Sutton said.