In August, the University hired Pat Melley as the director of Faculty Benefits, a position overseeing an area of recent controversy. Melley will help design plans with insurers and perhaps ameliorate the heated issue of faculty salaries.
“I welcome the opportunity to utilize my insurance background in an environment that nurtures creativity and challenges,” she said. “I find that being in a higher education setting is diverse and stimulating—much more so than the corporate world.”
Melley will manage a long list of faculty benefits that includes life insurance, retirement savings plans, educational assistance, and short and long-term disability.
“Out of college, I began my career in the insurance industry working in brokerage and reinsurance,” she said. “My specialty was employee benefits, and I was usually working with Human Resources professionals. HR always intrigued me, so I eventually moved over to Human Resources with an emphasis on benefits.”
On top of her usual responsibilities, Melley will deal with faculty members who are dissatisfied with current employee benefits and look to her to address their concerns.
“I honestly think it’s best for the institution to have a fairly-paid faculty,” said Chair of the Compensation and Benefits committee and Associate Professor of Molecular Biology & Biochemisty Mike McAlear in a Sept. 19th Argus article. “Our retirement plan compares poorly, as do our salaries. What does this do for morale if the longer I’m here, the less I make in real dollars? That’s a big problem. If you’re going to run an institution, do you want your professors happy?”
Melley has a more optimistic view of the University’s benefits packages.
“The benefits at Wesleyan really are fabulous, and that helps attract the best faculty and staff and keep them here,” she said. “Benefits at Wesleyan are extensive.”
She understands that there may be a difference of opinion between herself and certain faculty members.
“I welcome this opportunity to resolve issues,” she said. “Although it is too early for me to formulate an opinion, I do appreciate Professor McAlear’s input and look forward to working with him and the rest of the faculty to reach a consensus. My role is that of employee advocate regarding benefits.”
Melley acknowledges that she has only been here a few months and is still getting a feel for the university, but she is confident that she has the perspective and experience to solve this conflict.
“I have not been here long enough to produce a detailed comparison of benefits from other schools,” she said. “There is an advantage to having worked on both sides of insurance: the vendor and the purchaser. I am very aware of how much service the vendors should provide to their client employers and employees.”
Melley is also not prepared to make any long-term decisions concerning benefits before she has settled in, she said. This includes dealing with faculty dissatisfaction.
“In the short term, there will be minimal plan design changes,” she said. “But I do plan to review customer service metrics throughout the year to make sure that we are with the appropriate vendors and that they are working with us as expected. In addition, I hope to place emphasis on wellness programs.”