Faculty members at New Mexico State University say it would take an estimated $12.2 million to boost salaries to average levels at peer institutions.

   The Las Cruces Sun-News reports  that leaders of the Faculty Senate see the dollar figure as a rough estimate but a starting point for efforts aimed at raising lagging pay levels.

   Biology professor William Boecklen reviewed salary data for peer universities from the Chronicle of Higher Education. He found that salaries for full NMSU professors are about 27 percent below average.

  Associate professors are about 11 percent below average, and assistant professors are 21 percent below average.

   The information was presented at an open forum for NMSU faculty earlier this week.

   Interim NMSU President Manuel Pacheco says the university will be looking for sources of revenue to start addressing the issue.