This article in the Daily Star may seem like a bunch of math, but it's one of the most critical and hard-hitting looks at the numbers game any paper has yet taken in this 'transformation process.' Complete with pdf.s, charts and photos, the Star walks you thorough the outrageous salary situation at the U of A. Since 2005 the number of employees whose salaries were paid 100% by the state and made over 100K/year increased by 53%. Can anyone recall what else has increased by nearly 53% since 2005? Tuition!
http://www.azstarnet.com/dailystar/272652.php
Is it ironic, then, that on the same day the news reports that as part of the auto industry bailout the top executives at those companies were given $1.6 billion in bonuses and perks?
Once again, Sallygradstudent urges top officials to take one for the team and reduce their salaries voluntarily for the short term. One of the best quotes in the Star article states that employees that currently make $16,000/year, some of whom have to rely on food stamps, should not be the ones to pick up the slack on this one. Despite the possible risk to long-term competitiveness when it comes to hiring (something the administration likes to shout into the wind while the university budget crumbles around them), a short-term salary reduction for the highest-paid officials would most likely improve morale, help form a feeling of comraderie, and most likely help keep a few jaded academics from jumping ship.
Almost no one gets into academia for the money. We hope that the administration will prove that they uphold the value of education in this state more than their own comfort.
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Friday, December 12, 2008
The Numbers
Salary of Arizona Governor Napolitano: $95,000.00
Salary of the President of the United States: $400,000.00
Salary of Pres. Shelton of the U of A: $570,000.00 (According to the Daily Wildcat)
From the Arizona Daily Star:
"Shelton and Boice spoke critically of the idea of having students control funding, saying that's what administrators are paid to do.
"If I'm not doing a proper job of that, then I should be removed from my job," Shelton said."
http://www.azstarnet.com/allheadlines/267690.php
In order to prove that they are not, in fact, cutting from the bottom in order to maintain their own comfort at the top, we at Sallygradstudent propose that all administrators making more than $200,000 a year (more than 9 times what a GAT makes) take a pay cut of 10%. Times are tough: for everyone.
Salary of the President of the United States: $400,000.00
Salary of Pres. Shelton of the U of A: $570,000.00 (According to the Daily Wildcat)
From the Arizona Daily Star:
"Shelton and Boice spoke critically of the idea of having students control funding, saying that's what administrators are paid to do.
"If I'm not doing a proper job of that, then I should be removed from my job," Shelton said."
http://www.azstarnet.com/allheadlines/267690.php
In order to prove that they are not, in fact, cutting from the bottom in order to maintain their own comfort at the top, we at Sallygradstudent propose that all administrators making more than $200,000 a year (more than 9 times what a GAT makes) take a pay cut of 10%. Times are tough: for everyone.
A State of Indecision
Check out Anne Denogean's sharp criticism of the recent back-and-forth tuition hearings. She really highlights what is key in this confusing turn of events:
http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/ss/local/104990.php
Was the vote turn-around, taking tuition increases from 3.7% up to 9.9% the result of pressure from the U of A administration on student leaders?
Meanwhile, State Rep. Pearce is still refusing to review the U of A construction projects, holding them up maybe forever.
http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/ss/local/104985.php
And in case you weren't depressed enough about the state of education in Arizona and the inability of our elected lawmakers to make clear and sustainable decisions, TUSD has announced that it will be cutting the language requirement at all of their schools:
http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/daily/frontpage/104945.php
http://www.azstarnet.com/allheadlines/271171.php
All we can picture is 20 years from now, when this particular budget crisis has passed, living in a state where education is undervalued and businesses do not thrive because the population has too few skilled workers.
We at Sallygradstudent challenge the lawmakers of the State of Arizona, the governing board of TUSD and the administration of all three universities to try a little harder.
http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/ss/local/104990.php
Was the vote turn-around, taking tuition increases from 3.7% up to 9.9% the result of pressure from the U of A administration on student leaders?
Meanwhile, State Rep. Pearce is still refusing to review the U of A construction projects, holding them up maybe forever.
http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/ss/local/104985.php
And in case you weren't depressed enough about the state of education in Arizona and the inability of our elected lawmakers to make clear and sustainable decisions, TUSD has announced that it will be cutting the language requirement at all of their schools:
http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/daily/frontpage/104945.php
http://www.azstarnet.com/allheadlines/271171.php
All we can picture is 20 years from now, when this particular budget crisis has passed, living in a state where education is undervalued and businesses do not thrive because the population has too few skilled workers.
We at Sallygradstudent challenge the lawmakers of the State of Arizona, the governing board of TUSD and the administration of all three universities to try a little harder.
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Turn of Events
After voting to cap tuition lower than Shelton requested, the Board of Regents then turned around and re-voted on the issue, giving the amount Shelton wanted.
http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/ss/local/104448.php
Although this means more tuition dollars for U of A in a time that it desperately needs them, it also means that the way in which we thought the Regents operated is apparently no longer the norm. Their ability to re-vote an already decided issue seems pretty scary to us here at Sallygradstudent.
In other news, and perhaps even more exciting, the Arizona Daily Star revealed that the University of Arizona has spent near $13 million on the designs for the Rio Nuevo Science Center (including the now-scrapped Rainbow Bridge). Much of that money came from tax payers, and much of it was apparently spend on meals, airfare, consulting fees, computers, software, etc. It seems, though, a great expense for something that is not yet off the ground and running.
http://www.azstarnet.com/business/270596.php
If we have to jack up tuition just to pay the bills and make ends meet, is it really a good idea to pour money into a project like this? How can we justify spending even one more dollar on this while the U of A is laying off local workers?
http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/ss/local/104448.php
Although this means more tuition dollars for U of A in a time that it desperately needs them, it also means that the way in which we thought the Regents operated is apparently no longer the norm. Their ability to re-vote an already decided issue seems pretty scary to us here at Sallygradstudent.
In other news, and perhaps even more exciting, the Arizona Daily Star revealed that the University of Arizona has spent near $13 million on the designs for the Rio Nuevo Science Center (including the now-scrapped Rainbow Bridge). Much of that money came from tax payers, and much of it was apparently spend on meals, airfare, consulting fees, computers, software, etc. It seems, though, a great expense for something that is not yet off the ground and running.
http://www.azstarnet.com/business/270596.php
If we have to jack up tuition just to pay the bills and make ends meet, is it really a good idea to pour money into a project like this? How can we justify spending even one more dollar on this while the U of A is laying off local workers?
Friday, December 5, 2008
There you have it
The Regents demolished Shelton's 'reduced' tuition plan by slashing it even more. Calling for predictable increases and citing that times are tough, the regents gave far less than expected, meaning that the U of A will come up $5million short next year, according to Shelton.
Some say it seems like an unfair punishment, directed specifically at U of A. Others say that austerity is necessary in this time of financial crisis. The president of the Regents had nothing but harsh words for those who voted for the lower increase. In this time in which it seems likely that a new governor who does not support public education is soon to take office, it is scary indeed to think that we will have to cut even more from the budget. At the same time, college is becoming outrageously expensive, considering what we were paying only a few years ago. As reported earlier this semester, tuition has gone up far more than the rate of inflation, especially in the last few years.
For those of us who have found the restructuring process to be too vague, too harsh and far too fast, look out. Regents recommend that Shelton show his administration can responsibly use tuition increases by accelerating the restructuring! With the winter break creeping up on us, and everyone too busy with papers, tests, teaching, service, committees and, oh yeah, family and friends, who will have the time and energy to monitor this process?
http://www.azstarnet.com/dailystar/270280.php
http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/ss/local/104346.php
Looking for a good place to start? Check out the blog posting below, in which Renee Schafer Horton recounts Wanda Howell (faculty senate chair)'s point-blank criticism of Provost Hay's unwillingness to make a personal sacrifice in these 'hard times.'
http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/ss/byauthor/104238
This is why Sallygradstudent requests that all administration take an immediate, voluntary pay cut, not only to help support the budget, but to show solidarity with all of the other employees whose livelihoods hang in the balance.
Looks like someone else has also had this idea. Check out this letter to the editor of the Tucson Citizen:
http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/ss/related/104254
Some say it seems like an unfair punishment, directed specifically at U of A. Others say that austerity is necessary in this time of financial crisis. The president of the Regents had nothing but harsh words for those who voted for the lower increase. In this time in which it seems likely that a new governor who does not support public education is soon to take office, it is scary indeed to think that we will have to cut even more from the budget. At the same time, college is becoming outrageously expensive, considering what we were paying only a few years ago. As reported earlier this semester, tuition has gone up far more than the rate of inflation, especially in the last few years.
For those of us who have found the restructuring process to be too vague, too harsh and far too fast, look out. Regents recommend that Shelton show his administration can responsibly use tuition increases by accelerating the restructuring! With the winter break creeping up on us, and everyone too busy with papers, tests, teaching, service, committees and, oh yeah, family and friends, who will have the time and energy to monitor this process?
http://www.azstarnet.com/dailystar/270280.php
http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/ss/local/104346.php
Looking for a good place to start? Check out the blog posting below, in which Renee Schafer Horton recounts Wanda Howell (faculty senate chair)'s point-blank criticism of Provost Hay's unwillingness to make a personal sacrifice in these 'hard times.'
http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/ss/byauthor/104238
This is why Sallygradstudent requests that all administration take an immediate, voluntary pay cut, not only to help support the budget, but to show solidarity with all of the other employees whose livelihoods hang in the balance.
Looks like someone else has also had this idea. Check out this letter to the editor of the Tucson Citizen:
http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/ss/related/104254
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Recent News
The Arizona Board of Regents will soon be voting on the university presidents' proposals for tuition increases. Dr. Shelton has recently amended his proposal to slightly decrease the overall increase from about $696 down to $500 per semester for in-state undergraduates.
However, student groups on the U of A campus are not yet satisfied, and with good reason. They are calling for predictable increases in the coming years so that students will not get half way through a degree and then be forced to pay outrageous prices to finish it.
Student groups call for predictable tuition increases:
http://media.wildcat.arizona.edu/media/storage/paper997/news/2008/12/04/News/Asa-Proposal.Gains.Ground-3569602.shtml
Even CNN.com has picked up on the college crisis:
http://www.cnn.com/2008/LIVING/personal/12/03/college.costs/index.html?iref=newssearch
What is particularly disconcerting is that no clear decisions have yet been made on the merging of some colleges and departments and that the university will be switching into winter break mode in a couple of weeks. Our biggest concern here at Sallygradstudent is that decisions will be made over break and implemented without the usual pomp and circumstance. This means that we could come back to a whole new system.
However, student groups on the U of A campus are not yet satisfied, and with good reason. They are calling for predictable increases in the coming years so that students will not get half way through a degree and then be forced to pay outrageous prices to finish it.
Student groups call for predictable tuition increases:
http://media.wildcat.arizona.edu/media/storage/paper997/news/2008/12/04/News/Asa-Proposal.Gains.Ground-3569602.shtml
Even CNN.com has picked up on the college crisis:
http://www.cnn.com/2008/LIVING/personal/12/03/college.costs/index.html?iref=newssearch
What is particularly disconcerting is that no clear decisions have yet been made on the merging of some colleges and departments and that the university will be switching into winter break mode in a couple of weeks. Our biggest concern here at Sallygradstudent is that decisions will be made over break and implemented without the usual pomp and circumstance. This means that we could come back to a whole new system.
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