At Bucknell, Faculty and Staff Salary increases are closely tied together when the annual compensation pool is announced (in March or April). Within each college, the faculty salary increase pool is divided proportionally and then within staff divisions, the compensation increases are divided proportionally.
To keep up with inflation, that is to avoid a pay cut in purchasing dollars, each year your salary needs to increase at least as much as the change in Consumer Price Index (CPI). During times of high inflation, failing to keep up with CPI results in significant hardships, especially for those at the lower end of the salary range. Using data that Bucknell reports to the Higher Ed Pay Tracker, at The Chronicle of Higher Education, we can see the effects of this wage erosion from 2018 to 2022 (the most recent year currently available). Identical results would be seen for most staff, although these numbers are not publicly available.
Each year when the compensation pool increases less than the CPI, your effective salary decreases. Notice that the only group keeping up with inflation (barely) are Assistant Professors. This is because when a new position is filled at Bucknell, it must be advertised at a competitive wage, but we don’t keep up with prevailing wages after someone is hired. The same occurs for most staff positions.
The CPI for 2023 was 4.1% and for 2024 was 2.9%. This is why AAUP Bucknell urges you to support the CPI +5% Campaign!