Most Lehigh faculty have 9-month academic appointments, from August through May. Most faculty are paid their 9-month salary over 12 months (September 1–August 31), though some have elected to be paid over 9 months (September 1–May 31). Beginning July 1, 2025, all 12-month faculty pay schedules will run from July 1–June 30 (rather than the current September 1–August 31), aligning with the fiscal year.
This will result in little to no change for most faculty, except that annual merit raises will now go into effect in July each year instead of September, and faculty will receive a larger-than-usual paycheck in June 2025 (see "How will the transition to the new schedule work?" in the FAQ.
Effective immediately, newly hired faculty members will have a default start date of July 1 (though new faculty members may negotiate other start dates, as always) and will be on July–June 12-month pay schedules. Current faculty who are paid over 9 months may continue to do so, but faculty will no longer have the option to switch to a 9-month pay schedule.
This change applies to both tenured/tenure-track faculty and term faculty (Teaching/Research Professors, Professors of Practice). It does not affect Visiting or Adjunct Professors.
What This Means for Faculty
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Your annual salary—the total amount that you will earn over the course of a year—is not affected by this change.
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The duration of your academic appointment—9 months for most faculty—is not affected by this change.
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The number of days, weeks, or months that you are expected to work during the year is not affected by this change, nor are the expectations about the amount or type of work you do.
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If you are currently paid over 12 months, you have the option to be paid over 12 months. If you are currently paid over 9 months, you will be given the option to switch to a 12-month pay schedule. All newly hired faculty will be on a 12-month pay schedule.
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Newly hired faculty will have a default start date of July 1 (first paycheck July 31), rather than the current default date of August 15 (first paycheck September 30).
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Faculty merit raises will go into effect on July 1 each year rather than September 1.
Historically, if you were on a 12-month pay schedule, you were paid September–August for your 9-month academic appointment. Your paychecks in June, July, and August were deferred pay from the previous academic year:
Under the new schedule, you will be paid July–June, meaning that your paychecks in July and August will be in advance of the coming academic year and your paycheck in June will be deferred from the previous academic year:
For more information, visit the Frequently Asked Questions page.