http://hattiesburgamerican.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060101/NEWS05/601010303/1002

Higher education pays dearly in rebuilding

..."What's going on is a personal tragedy all around," said [Doug] Bristol, a University of Southern Mississippi assistant professor. "From our perspective on the Coast, we are teaching under extraordinary circumstances."...

...The average salary for Mississippi's full-time faculty was $54,362 in 2003-2004 compared to a national average of $66,286, according to Southern Regional Education Board statistics....

...Even though Mississippi Gulf Coast professors are the hardest hit from low pay and Katrina, Hattiesburg also has its share of displaced college faculty.

Larry Mullican, a Southern Miss theater and dance professor, has been living in a mobile home church members donated while his house is gutted to remove mold that infiltrated after a tree smashed through the house.

And while Katrina weighs heavily on his mind, the lack of pay raises - especially in the humanities - has been a constant headache.

"Building a strong Coast is very important," Mullican said.

"They also need to realize if this state is going to bring itself out of the hole it's in, the only way to get qualified workers is to put money into higher education and have a body of people ready to do the work these industries require.

"My salary as a full professor is at the bottom end of what they pay in the sciences," Mullican said.

"My concern is that there is an equitable distribution and not favoring one end over another. You cannot cut (the humanities) departments to the bone and give all money to the sciences."

Bristol readily admits the low pay and low morale are quickly ushering his colleagues on the Coast to look elsewhere for work.

"I know many of my colleagues have said they need to get some sort of recognition from the university or they will be on the job market soon," he said. "At the same time, people love it here. If their needs can be accommodated, they will stay." ...