Although Iowa State is tied with the University of Arizona for the lowest average faculty salary among its 11 peer institutions, the money is not always the driving force behind faculty choosing Iowa State.

Many ISU faculty have made the choice to come not for the salary, but for other factors, said Warren Madden, vice president for business and finance. Some of these factors include quality of life issues, the cost of living, transportation and a change in life circumstances.

“Ames offers a community which is good for families and for raising children,” Madden said.

While there are exceptions to all of these rules, Madden said Iowa State is better at recruiting families and older faculty.

He said while Iowa State ranks acceptably in offering benefits, younger graduates usually go for schools where they can have more direct income to pay off student loans and can begin saving money for future investments, such as cars and houses.

While salary is not always the primary issue when prospective faculty are looking at Iowa State, the Iowa Board of Regents wants the regent universities — Iowa State University, the University of Iowa and the University of Northern Iowa — to move up the list and be able to better compete nationally with salaries.

For the 2003—04 academic year, the average faculty salary at Iowa State is $75,500, according to board documents. The highest salary among peer institutions is the University of California-Davis, with an average salary of $88,100.

With a 7.9 percent tuition increase proposed for next year, unless the state Legislature fully funds salary increases in April, faculty may not be able to be awarded with a salary increase.

“We are competing in a national marketplace,” Madden said.

If the salary drops too far below the other peer institutions, prospective faculty members may take a closer look at the salary before choosing Iowa State for the quality of life or other factors.

“People need to have direct compensation to maintain the lifestyle they find appropriate,” Madden said.

Christopher Seeger, associate professor of landscape architecture, said he chose to stay at Iowa State after receiving a master’s degree in landscape architecture here because he didn’t want to leave the Midwest.

“I am here for the Midwestern landscape, people and values,” Seeger said.

Joe Eisenmann, associate professor of health and human performance, was born and grew up in North Dakota. Eisenmann received his doctorate degree from Michigan State University in 2000.

He attended the University of Wyoming for two years and moved to York University in Toronto for a year before returning to the Midwest.

He said he chose Iowa State particularly because of the family he has within driving distance.