Ann Arbor, MI — The University of Michigan is facing a lawsuit alleging it failed to properly compensate around 3,600 faculty members by delaying their annual raises, leading to a significant underpayment over the years. The legal challenge was recently lodged at the Michigan Court of Claims by UM sociology professor Fatma Müge Göçek, who is represented by Sommers Schwartz PC. The law firm is pressing for a class-action status to benefit faculty across UM’s campuses in Ann Arbor, Flint, and Dearborn.
The core of the complaint is tied to the university’s timing in implementing scheduled pay raises. Typically, tenured professors at UM, as is common at many academic institutions, receive their salaries based on an academic year from July 1 to June 30, with any approved raises expected to commence at the start of this period. However, Göçek’s lawsuit contends that the university has consistently applied these raises starting in September each year, thus shortchanging faculty for two months annually.
This delay equates to faculty being underpaid by an amount equal to two-twelfths, or about 17%, of their intended annual raise each year the delay occurs. The legal claim seeks to recover three years’ worth of these underpaid wages, which is the maximum duration permissible under Michigan law. Göçek individually claims to have been underpaid by a total of $3,644 due to this deferred compensation policy.
Earlier this year, the UM faculty senate passed a resolution calling on the university administration to retroactively pay all affected faculty members in accordance with relevant laws. While the university has agreed to alter the timing of future faculty raise payouts beginning July 1, 2025, it has not yet addressed the back payments that the lawsuit claims are due.
Matthew L. Turner, the attorney handling Göçek’s case, remarked on the university’s lack of action to rectify what he describes as “inappropriate pay decisions.” According to his estimates, the collective annual underpayment could amount to approximately $2.5 million. Michigan Public Radio reported that the university has not commented on the matter, noting that it had not yet been officially served with the lawsuit.
The legal challenge sheds light on a broader issue of how salary schedules and administrative delays can impact faculty finances significantly. The case also underscores the growing insistence of academic staff on campuses nationwide for transparent and timely compensation practices, reflecting their critical role in the educational system.
The unfolding lawsuit at one of Michigan’s premier institutions serves as a significant point of reflection on administrative practices in higher education nationwide, particularly around issues of compensation and contractual fidelity. It also arrives at a time when more educational staff are voicing concerns over employment conditions, a trend that is seeing an increasing number turning to legal recourse to resolve disputes.
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