 By 1989, the pay disparity between ETSU faculty and the average at state schools grew to $4,000.Morris' goal to make salaries more competitive with those of other schools "proved to be an elusive one", partially due to ETSU's relatively overstaffed faculty, evidenced by abnormally low student–teacher ratios.Morris attempted to improve faculty morale in other ways than through salary, reducing the membership of the Faculty Senate in order to make it more of a decision-making body while also creating a Senior Faculty Forum, which often gave suggestions to the president that were ultimately implemented.