Topeka ? The number of full-time faculty at public universities in Kansas has increased 27 percent since 1985, while the number of hours and students they teach has decreased, according to an audit released today.

The audit also showed that average faculty salaries are increasing at a rate higher than inflation, while graduate teaching assistants’ pay has dropped below the inflation rate.

Faculty audit (pdf document) Faculty audit, executive summary (pdf document)

And the audit showed that business faculty salaries were far outpacing other areas.

In another area, the audit showed that higher education officials had failed to follow policy in checking to see that instructors are proficient in English.

That part of the audit prompted criticism from some lawmakers.

“The impression given to us is that this is a problem solved. Now we find out that is not the case,” Senate President Dave Kerr, R-Hutchinson, said.

For more on this story, return to this Web site and pick up a copy of Tuesday’s Journal-World.