This page provides some information about the timing of how faculty are paid at Lehigh. Like at many US universities, most Lehigh faculty receive their pay evenly throughout the calendar year, even though their salary reflects only their work during the academic year.
“Paid for” vs. “Paid over”
Most Lehigh faculty have 9-month academic appointments, covering the academic year from August 15 through May 15, but are paid their 9-month salary over 12 months. They are paid for 9 months of work per year, but are paid over 12 months per year. (We say that such faculty are “paid 9/12”.)
A small proportion of Lehigh faculty, such as Department Chairs, have academic appointments that are longer than 9 months, if they have administrative or certain other responsibilities during the summer. (They might be “10/12.”)
In the past, a small proportion of Lehigh faculty elected to be paid over 9 months instead of 12 (they might be “9/9”). This option is being phased out and thus is no longer available to new faculty or to faculty who are currently paid over 12 months.
Timing
For faculty who are paid over 12 months, annual pay schedules run from July 1–June 30, aligning with Lehigh’s fiscal year. Annual salary raises go into effect on July 1 each year.
The paycheck that a faculty member receives in June is for work done during the preceding academic year. The paychecks received in July and August are prepayments for work that will be done in the coming academic year.
This structure has implications for faculty when they eventually retire or leave Lehigh.
Newly hired faculty members have a default start date of July 1, though new faculty members may negotiate other start dates when appropriate. All new faculty members are paid over 12 months (they are “x/12”).