UNCG officials are not doing anything for free
I’m writing in reference to Joe Killian’s March 27 article about administrators teaching courses at UNCG. There were many references to these administrators teaching for “free.”
These administrators are salaried employees. Adding an extra responsibility to a salaried employee is hardly having him or her do something for “free.” Chancellor Linda Brady is making $315,000 a year. If she has to work an extra 2.5 hours a week (the length of one class), so be it. The chancellor, along with the other six-figured-salary deans, aren’t doing anything for “free.” In fact, they are being compensated handsomely. Even though the school’s budget is being cut by 7 percent, their salaries are not being cut.
It is at best disingenuous, and at worst insulting to taxpayers, to act as though they’re volunteering for the good of the university, which is exactly what this article does. As an alumnus, I’m not surprised by the arrogance shown by these UNCG employees patting themselves on the back for doing their jobs.
However, the News & Record doesn’t have to give credence to these claims. Many workers, especially in these economic times, are being given more job-related responsibilities. UNCG administrators are no different. They most certainly are not doing anything for “free.”
Todd Schmidt
Greensboro
Comments (5)
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maybe.
Business' .. and hopefully Gov'ment .. and hopefully their co-mingled enterprises .. are asking more of everybody. I'm generically OK with that - I have picked up more responsibilties and were I not willing I'd be out of a job .. and most I work with at now "doing more for free".
When things pick up, those "extra tasks" will remain in place and become the norm ... so Business' and Gov'ment and the co-mingled enterprises will become more efficient (and profitable).
My only concern is whether all are doing more, of if like most of these deals, the load falls exclusively on the backs of us beasts of burden ... who walk for miles .. our feet are hurtin' .. and all we want is someone to make love to we.
Posted on April 5, 2009 6:22 AM
at = are
Posted on April 5, 2009 6:24 AM
Good letter Todd.
Rocky, make sure you leave a mint on Monica's pillow before you leave...
Posted on April 5, 2009 7:37 AM
JDR, the working conditions you describe, "doing more for less" and it becoming the new norm--what you just described is what nurses have been struggling with for almost 20 years.
People do deserve to get paid a fair wage for what they do.
Taking on a classroom responsibility in addition to administrative work is not an easy task. A 3 credit hour course is 3 hours in the classroom, but hours more outside of class grading papers and writing exams. As a salaried employee, I routinely put in more hours than I'm paid for because I'm passionate about my job and want to do it the way it should be done.
One could argue the administrators are showing leadership by pitching in and picking up the slack left by the teachers who are being laid off.
My ultimate opinion will depend on how well they actually teach those classes. If they really are teaching them (not leaving it to a poorly paid TA), and giving students good learning experiences, then cudos.
I do wonder, are these administrators still traveling around the country at state expense during a financial crisis?
Dr. Cameron, President of GTCC, stopped all out of state travel for himself as well as for faculty and staff in an effort to save money. He led by example by not taking trips when faculty couldn't. Some of those trips are really important for the college so if he can make do by staying at home, then I have no problem making do by paying for my own conferences and keeping them in driving distance (using my own car).
What else are UNC system leaders doing to lead by example?
Posted on April 5, 2009 11:29 AM
Panacea--
"what you just described is what nurses have been struggling with for almost 20 years."
"As a salaried employee, I routinely put in more hours than I'm paid for because I'm passionate about my job and want to do it the way it should be done."
Are you saying nurses aren't passionate enough, that's why they struggle?
Posted on April 6, 2009 1:22 PM