Pay, staff development, and supervision as antecedents of faculty retention: A case study of Uganda Christian University, Mbale Campus

Abstract

This study aimed at investigating whether pay, staff development, supervision had any influence on faculty retention at Uganda Christian University. It was guided by three objectives relating pay, staff development and supervision respectively to faculty retention. This study was a cross sectional survey and co-relational in design. It used both quantitative and qualitative approaches for purposes of triangulating data obtained. However, it mostly took the quantitative approach. The sample comprised of 133 lecturers from four faculties in Uganda Christian University Mbale campus. Data were mainly collected using a self administered questionnaire which was mainly quantitative, and then interviews were conducted with some top management members of the university so as to obtain in-depth qualitative data. Data were analyzed using descriptive and infereratial statistics especially the means and range. Pearson’s linear correlation coefficient and regression analysis were used to correlate pay, staff development, supervision and faculty retention respectively. The findings revealed that there was no significant relationship between pay and faculty retention at Uganda Christian University while staff development and supervision each had a significant positive correlation with faculty retention. The study concluded that; pay was not significantly related to faculty retention at Uganda Christian University while staff development and staff supervision each had a significant positive relationship with faculty retention. The recommendations are that: Uganda Christian University should strengthen its policy practices on staff development and staff supervision which have proved to be significant contributors towards faculty retention; and that Uganda Christian University should strengthen existing policies regarding lectures payment so as to minimize turnover rate of the academic staff.