Faculty Salary Increases

THE effect of the Ford Foundation's gift on Dartmouth faculty salaries was, up to February 8, unclear because of the fact that the grant is not to be received all at once. By decision of the Board of Trustees, and with an important assist from the 1956 Alumni Fund, it was announced last month that Dartmouth's teachers will on July 1 receive pay increases amounting to the estimated annual income from the entire Ford Foundation grant.

President Dickey and the Trustees wished to make a full and immediate response to the objectives of the Ford Foundation program, and in support of this aim the Dartmouth Alumni Council agreed to earmark $35,000 of this year's Alumni Fund to supplement the income from the initial installment of the Ford Foundation's gift. This use of part of the 1956 Alumni Fund will have the effect of putting the Ford endowment fully to work for the faculty in 1956-57, even though half of the grant may not be received until July 1, 1957.

Dartmouth's total gift from the Ford Foundation in December was announced at $2,079,500, with approximately one-half to be received by July 1, 1956, and the other half one year later. Roughly two-thirds of the total amount is given specifically to endow faculty compensation for at least the next ten years. The remainder is an unrestricted "accomplishment grant" in recognition of the College's own efforts to better the financial status of its faculty.

In his announcement of February 8, President Dickey said that individual salary adjustments will be determined by the Board of Trustees in April, when the 1956-57 budget is approved. The increases made possible by the Ford gift will be in addition to the normal adjustments made annually on an individual basis under the College's existing salary program. They will come on top, also, of increases totaling about $200,000 made last July as a result of the higher tuition rate that went into effect with this academic year.

The .$35,000 contribution from the 1956 Alumni Fund is part of the record goal of 1775,000 set for the campaign opening formally on April 1. The Alumni Council has allocated another $23,000 to scholarships and the balance to the College's 1955-56 operating expenses. More about the Fund will be found in the Alumni Council report on Page 27 in this issue.