The pay-hike gap between administrators and faculty shrinks when one takes into account grants, private donations, tuition and other sources of money beyond state appropriations - but it is still significant. In fact, average pay increases for top U. administrators in the past four years are nearly three times those for faculty.

In a recent opinion piece published in The Tribune, U. Board of Trustees Chairman Randy Dryer said continuing faculty received raises totaling 22 percent over the past five years.

The editorial provoked "as much angst" as an earlier Tribune story indicating the faculty received a mere 7 percent hike over the period, Dryer said Monday.

"A lot of faculty said 'Where the hell is my 22 percent?' " Dryer said.

He explained that the figure was intended as an average for full-time continuing teaching faculty - some teachers got more and some got less.

The 7 percent faculty salary increase information came from U. figures reflecting only state-appropriated funds. The new figures released by the school include other revenue sources. But the 22 percent figure is skewed because it excludes lower-paid teachers in the first year.

To get an apples-to-apples comparison, consistently including about 200 full-time lecturers, The Tribune used a four-year period. Counting all revenue sources during that time, the average faculty salary increase totals 11.7 percent.

That contrasts with a 32.6 percent average increase for the school's top administrators over the same four-year period.

Paul Brinkman, associate vice president for budget and planning, says the comparison "seems unfair to us," because it includes a larger number of lower-paid faculty.

Brinkman and Dryer don't challenge the accuracy of the calculated 32.6 percent increase for administrators. But they claim faculty raises over the period are 18.6 percent.

Two math experts consulted by The Tribune disagreed.

The U. officials' number doesn't represent how much money an average faculty member made, according to Jeff Achter, an assistant math professor at the University of Colorado.

"The sheer dollar outlay increased a lot, but that was masked by an increase in faculty," he said. "As far as the total salary outlay, they're more or less right. But as far as what a teacher sees in a classroom" the number is 11.7 percent.

A math professor at the U., who asked his name not be used for fear of retribution, validated that assessment.

"The [U.'s] numbers show the increase in the pots of money, but not an average increase for faculty," the U. professor said.

smcfarland@sltrib.com

According to a Tribune analysis, during a four-year span from 2004 to 2007:

* Faculty average salary increased 11.7 percent

* Administrator average salary increased 32.6 percent

* Tuition increased 29.8 percent

Source: University of Utah