Faculty demonstrates against university outside showcases in Warriner Hall, Music Building

Maria did a great job on this story!  Unlike the local papers, the outstate Michigan papers, Maria interviewed two Michigan taxpayers and parents of a possible future CMU students who said what 95 percent of Michigan taxpayers feel.  Maria is presenting a fair and balanced story.  Not like those union-loving reporters you see at Michigan daily newspapers.  If I were a member of the CMU Board or the CMU president, I couldn’t sleep at night asking 18 year olds to go tens of thousands of dollars into debt.  Especially paying big dollar amounts for 101-level general education courses.

The private sector hasn’t seen raises in years thanks to Granholm, Pelosi and Obama, all liberal Democrats, who have destroyed the economy.

These parents know what’s going on out there in the real world—-people are losing their jobs, taking paycuts, losing their homes, their savings.

Before I get to what CMU should do.  Friday, the Obama job creation report was a disaster.  Only 18,000 new jobs created.  For every job created or preserved under his socialistic Stimulus program, it costs us taxpayers about $278,000 per job.  We would have been better handing 10 people checks for $27,800.

Now, back to the money-grubbing faculty demands.  How dare any CMU employee demand a pay raise when the private sector isn’t seeing pay increases.  Also, every CMU employee should pay for their health care whatever the average private sector Michigan taxpayer pays.  So, if the average Michigan taxpayer has 24.5 percent of their wages deducted to pay for their healthcare, then that’s what CMU employees should be paying.

Also, they should be paying into their retirement.  Michigan taxpayers can’t afford it.  We’re all still suffering after 8 years of Granholm’s socialism program and now Michigan businesses are facing higher taxes, higher healthcare costs because of Obamacare, etc.

What should the CMU Board of Trustees do.  First, they need to cut the pay of all senior officers by about 20-30 percent and make them pay their fair share of healthcare and retirement benefits.  If any of them wants to quit, then accept their resignation.  With Obama’s high unemployment, there is plenty of great talent out of their.  The Granholm-controlled CMU Board needs to call their bluff.  If Ross or any of them wants to leave, then let them.  With states all over the nation having to cut higher education, I don’t think they’re going to find work very easily.

By cutting their pay, it takes away from the faculty crying the blues.

With that being said, the Board and Ross should stand firm against the faculty.  If they want to strike, then let them.  They then can give adjunct faculty full-time teaching assignments which will save CMU a lot of money!!!!!!

Hire new faculty.  There are plenty of CMU alumni and other Michigan school alums who may be living out-of-state who would like to return home and work 20 hours a week, 12 hours of teaching 4 classes and six hours of office time and departmental meetings.  Work about 32 weeks a year.  Go play golf, snowmobile, ski.  What a life!  There would be a lineup of pink-slipped GM, Ford, Chrysler, Steelcase and other talent who have real-world experience and not fantasy world research experience who could prepare our students for the real world.  Retired teachers, superintendents, principals could teach in the College of Education.  Bring CMU and regional working professionals in all fields in and let them make extra revenue teaching courses.  With all the newspaper people nationwide losing their jobs, they’d probably love to come to CMU and work 20 hours a week for $40,000.  Low cost of living, etc.

CMU students could have their tuition raises CUT!!!, not raised with the expensive faculty out the door.

What’s happening at CMU is exactly the problem in Washington with the 14 trillion dollars of debt, mostly caused by Democrat controlled Congress out-of-control spending.  If we continue with 7 percent a year tuition hikes, CMU is soon going to be over $400 an hour.  If my math is correct, it’s possible that some members of this year’s freshmen will see this.   $400 an hour is outrageous and at some point students will stop coming.

In fairness to Ross, Mike Rao went on a spending spree during his time here that the students are currently paying the tab for.

George Ross could become the nation’s number-1 college president (in the eyes of private sector taxpayers) if he makes a stand here.  He would be the most recognized college president nationwide for taking a stand against union employees.

I don’t think he or this Board will do it.  They’ll give in, raise tuition and throw more debt on the backs of students.

But, some year in the future, as is the case in Washington, someone is going to have to step up and stop the spending and tuition hike insanity.

You can’t have faculty members who are making more than the average private sector Michigan taxpayer, wanting pay and benefit increases.

Especially since it was their union dues money that gave us Granholm, Levin, Stabenow, Obama, Pelosi.

I hope CM LIFE continues to gather both sides of this issue.  The student’s parents who are paying the tab should have their say-so also.

Gee,  I wasn’t aware that Rush Limbaugh read CM Life.

I thank Ms. Amante for reporting on the FA protests at the BA and CFA showcases in front of Warriner and the Music Building last Friday morning. The article does present a view of what happened at the FA rally last Friday, but it is a decidedly biassed view. First, while Ms. Amante (or other CM Life staff) seem to have been present at both Warriner and the Music Building to cover this story, it does not appear that newspaper representatives were present for the entire time of the showcases (roughly 8 AM-12 PM). When I arrived at Warriner at about 10 AM, there were about 15 FA protesters, as Ms. Amante reports. However, her article greatly underreports the number of FA protesters present near two Music Building entrances last Friday morning. When I arrived at the Music Building at 10 AM, there were about eight FA protesters at the west entrance and a roughly equal number at the south entrance. When I left at about 11 AM, the total number of FA protesters had grown to about 30. 

Forgive me for being so blunt, but the parental commentary cited in this article is patently biassed against the FA specifically, and against educators, public servants, and unions more generally. This speaks to my first point: while the article is a short-format piece, it does nothing to evaluate the bias that is organic to this kind of opinion as offered by parents with prospective CMU students. Further, it is noteworthy that both of the anti-FA comments were spoken and recorded at Warriner Hall, the location of the Business Administration showcase. I do not mean to overgeneralize here, but is anyone surprised that a parent with a student interested in an undergraduate business program should have anti-union views? It does not surprise me in the least. Further in this regard, the article does not seem to represent the views of parents who brought their students to the Music Building for the College of Fine Arts showcase. Yet seemingly there were many parents and relatives who did just that in front of the Music Building on Friday morning. On more that one occasion, parents on their own volition would approach FA members, often identify themselves as educators, and express their support for the FA by saying something along the lines of “I have been a K-12 educator for X number of years, I don’t like what’s being done to unions, and you have my support.” Yes, it is true that these educators are biassed in their own right, but the point here is to sample as many sources of bias to try to approximate “what really happened.” I’m sorry, Ms Amante, but your piece does not do this.I am currently a third-year student in Elementary Education at CMU. In all the courses I have taken at CMU, I have been nothing but impressed with the high level of competence, enthusiasm, and commitment by the CMU Faculty. As far as I can see, the current contract on offer by the administration and board of trustees is a clear sign of disrespect not only to the faculty but also to the students they teach. It is unacceptable.I support the FA’s decision to protest at the college showcases and at any other venues they deem appropriate. While I am neither a business nor fine arts student, I believe the CMU administration’s and board of trustees’ intransigence over the current contract is inconsistent with the paramount goal of delivering the high quality undergraduate and graduate programs for which CMU has earned national attention. As quoted is Ms. Amante’s piece, the current contract is an “insult” reflecting the administration/board of trustees’ unwillingness to invest the people’s money (NOT their money) in the people who are most responsible for delivering the degrees and other educational products that CMU students and their parents pay good money for. It seems to me that the admininstration and the board of trustees have convinced themselves that it is they (and not the faculty) who teach, mentor, and take a personal and lasting interest in the CMU students. I really would advise the administration and board of trustees to consider a serious course correction in their table position. And soon. Again, by their intransigence, they working to jeopardize the reputation that many at CMU have worked very hard to earn. Thank you very much.

Proud Future Educator

A) The University claims to have over a $200 mill surplus.

B) The University claims to be in really good financial shape.

C) The University is building a new Student athletic center.

So, how can they possibly feel justified in cutting faculty pay and benefits? I could understand if they were in dire trouble, but they’re not. Disgusting.

It’s puzzling how so many American citizens have lost
employment and many others have taken large pay cuts while the cost of energy
and medical/prescription coverage has increased dramatically. As this crisis has
developed, the working class has turned on each other.

The banking industry created a financial crisis and has been
given more, taxpayer, money while their corruption has yet to be challenged. The
working class people of this country have not seen any reward from that move. We
are involved in multiple wars for the past 10 years that only
benefit corporations. Our history of foreign policy shows that we do not care
about the people of those countries but rather the resources we can gain from
them. The insurance and pharmaceutical industry has written our countries medical
policy. We like to brag about being the greatest country in the world, but do
not believe in providing health care for all of our citizens. Medicare has between a 3% and 5%
administrative cost while private insurance companies run at a 30% cost.

We have been conditioned into thinking we are expert evaluators of
everyone else’s job and believe we know how that person is inadequate and overcompensated. Can’t you all see, we are doing
the dirty work for the people who have corrupted what our country was supposed
to be based on?  

We all (the working class) work hard. We all (the working
class) contribute to making other people’s lives better. We should all (the
working class) support each other in our struggles to attain and maintain our middle
class status.

I also believe that the administration works hard and want
to offer the best educational experience for each student attending CMU. It’s
too bad that this same administration has not negotiated fairly with the
bargaining units that make the university what ii is. The people in these
bargaining units work very hard to achieve the goal of providing the desired
quality experience.  The administration
has a chance to reverse this trend and show that they want to maintain the
quality that draws students to Mid-Michigan from across our state, the county
and the world.

Remember, there is no financial crisis at CMU. The stance by
the administration is only to weaken the organization that binds labor together.
Unions are the only organizations in place to advocate in the voice of labor.
Without unions, the working class will never get fair treatment in the
workplace.
 

I really don’t understand the vitriol directed against CMU professors.  Almost every other public university in the state has given faculty pay increases.  Yet, CMU chooses not to even though they are in the 2nd or 3rd best shape of all Michigan public universities.  It’s disgusting.  Get ready for more faculty to leave and for more courses being taught by adjuncts.  Yeah! 

Hey, Maria, just ignore the criticism from the union lovers.  You did a great job.  A vast majority of struggling Americans are tired of these overpaid college professors and administrators who have taken hefty payhikes in the past five years while the private sector taxpayers have lost jobs, taken paycuts, faced foreclosures, etc.  Again, please read the Free-Press expose about the huge pay increases CMU employees, including professors have enjoyed, while Michigan taxpayers struggle to make ends meet…….and tuition hikes forcing students into high debt.  I’m for the students!!!!

To some of you who say these overpaid professors are having a hard time putting food on the table.
Let’s go back to the CM LIFE story (I think it was in April) which said CMU professors are making $180,000 to $190,000 a year!!!  Making more money than the Governor, US Senator, Congressman, State Senator, etc.

That’s outstanding pay your typical professor works only 32 weeks out of the year  (figure about 16 weeks per semester, if that), 6 hours a week in the classroom, couple hours a week for office time and meetings.  That’s 10 hours a week.  320 hours a year of working.  Most Americans work 47 hours a week (3 weeks vacation and 2 weeks worth of holidays).  So, a professor is making an hourly wage of about $540 an hour.  Tell me who in Mt. Pleasant makes that kind of money.  Not even George Ross when you factor in his moonlighting job at the furniture company.  $540 an hour.
For what? 

Most corporate officers in the private sector in Michigan don’t make $540 an hour.  Plus, some of these professors moonlight and writing books racking up even more $$$.  Then, they complain about not getting a pay raise????  They pay less for health insurance than the private sector and then get a outrageous pension while the private sector pays into a 401K.  Bunch of whiners!!!!

If they’re unhappy, let them leave!!!!  There is so much good talent out.  For the business school, we have out-of-work auto executives, accountants, controllers, marketing, advertising professionals who could bring “real-world” experience to the classroom.  They’d love to live in a great college town like Mt. Pleasant. Extreme cost of living.  Lot less crime than Detroit.  There are so many talented editors and reporters who would make great English professors.  Forget about silly PHD degrees, etc. Do you realize CMU would refuse to hire Jimmy Carter, GHW Bush, Bill Clinton, GW Bush or even Barack Hussein Obama when he is out of work on Jan. 20, 2013….because they lack a PHD.  Likewise, for Bill Gates and Michael Dell in the Computer Sciences since they lack a degree.  Get rid of the titles and we could bring world-class, “real world” experts to teach in CMU classrooms!!!! 

To Alumna:  200 million dollar surplus??  Let’s send that money as a rebate to past graduates and current students who were overcharged.

To CBenison:  If CMU profs would get rid of the silly union, they wouldn’t have to pay union dues and that’s a huge pay increase right there.  Only reason for union dues is to subsidize Barack Hussein Obama’s and Debbie Stabenow’s re-election campaign.

To North Bradley and Masani: See my opening.

To John: You can thank Mike Rao who wasted $$$$ on a medical school.  Governor Snyder should drive up here and stop the medical school.  If we’re going to have one, it should be 100 percent subsidized by the central and northern Michigan hospitals, not undergraduate students.

To Grey Area:  Cost-of-living increase for faculty????  Private sector employees aren’t getting that.  Again, dump the union and subsidizing liberal Democrat political campaigns and the profs will have plenty of extra $$$.

To A Different perspective:  The dedicated faculty who wants to rid the union should travel to Lansing and demand lawmakers to make Michigan a right to work state.  CMU parents and students should join in.  It would be an immediate salary hike for profs.

To Faculty Supporter & Driver: Hey, I agree with you.  George Ross and every senior officer should take
huge paycuts.  In fact, no university president in this state should make more than $159,000 a year, which is what the Governor gets.  You could get rid of probably half the senior officer and administrative staff overhead.  Look at how few PR releases (and worthwhile ones get sent)…..you could operate with only one person.  Eliminate all the political correctness programs and personnel.

Here’s the solution:
If you got rid of half the faculty (retain the best teachers and make them teach 4-5 classes a semester.  No more senseless research projects and writing books) and all the part-timers and a quarter of the staff and senior officers and cut the pay of the remainders, I’d bet you could get tuiton down to $160-180 a credit hour.  (Reason I say this is, Eastern’s president said 80 percent of their budget is personnel).  Probably likewise, here.  Also, we could charge more for health insurance and other benefits.

Could you image, $160-180 for tuition for the finest of the finest CMU faculty (The All-Stars who made the final cut).  You’d have so many applications rolling in here from the best and the brightest students  from MSU, UM, Western, Eastern, etc.  We’d have the finest Michigan students in Mt. Pleasant!!!!  Students wouldn’t have to go so deep into debt.  Students would then have the money to go on to graduate school.

A win-win for students, their parents and taxpayers!

To John Robertson: I’m honored to be compared to Rush.  But, I’m no Rush.  He makes an estimated $55 million a year from advertisers on his show and his capitalistic ventures.  You know he has no college degree but advertisers love him.  He tells the truth about liberals!

Just for clarity’s sake, the article you’re referring to highlighted the top earners, the average CMU faculty member does not earn $180,000.

You can find average faculty salaries here: http://www.cmich.edu/Factbook/Faculty_and_Staff/Faculty_Profile.htm and in an upcoming article I’m working on for Central Michigan Life’s ongoing faculty association negotiations coverage.

You have absolutely no idea what you are talking about.  Everything you say about professor salaries and work schedules is completely false.

Dwayne, how dare you consider yourself “working class.” You are part of the elite – well educated, well-compensated. This is about class and protecting the government-paid perks of the elite. It’s on a smaller scale, but your group demanding more dollars is the same concept as a Wall Street bailout. If you want to consider yourself part of the “working class,” perhaps you should familiarize yourself with the median income of Michigan households and volunteer to adjust your pay accordingly … 

A UNIVERSITY is a research institute. It’s not just a “high school” on steroid”.You also  clearly have NO IDEA how much works has to be put in to teach 5 classes. Besides, universities PAY for your freakin’ living expense and tuition in most graduate programs if you can get into a decent program.Even for undergraduates, the brightest always find a way to get funding. I for instance, graduated from undergraduate with honors and NO debt. I stayed at home with my family, and paid my way through college with some help from scholarship money. It’s not impossible. It’s quite doable.It sounds to me like everything your saying is a mediocre student’s rant about how it’s everyone else’s fault he has a huge debt instead of blaming his inability to get scholarships or stop spending money to hit the bar on weekends. 

Also, I find it hilarious that you want to hire former US presidents. 

You do know that they get paid near $300,000/year for the rest of their life, right?

Also, it’s interesting that you think you can cut costs by hiring Bill Gates or Michael Dell. If you are strictly saying hire people like them, then how the hell would anyone know if those people are qualified at all if nobody knows about them??? 
Besides, just because someone was successful business person, that doesn’t mean that he’d know anything about research methods, or if his small town business strategy or possibly out of date methods would be a lot of value. Again, there’s no measurement of qualification to evaluate who is qualified to teach (unless you really bring in Bill Gates.).

Not to mention MOST subjects taught in Universities requires experts not found in business world. Where else would you look to find qualified people to teach those courses? 

You don’t seem to realize that having a PhD isn’t the same as being a line assembly worker at GM for 30 years. PhD means you’re the expert in the field. Who else is more qualified to teach, and to do RESEARCH than them? 

May be you think it’ll be a good idea for a university to hire bunch of self-taught experts so that university can lose all the credential it has. 
If that’s your plan, you’re dead on.

 I can lump profs in with the working class, and I did. Yes, I am also a Liberal. It’s really not a bad thing. It just means that I care about people and want all citizens to be treated fairly with a realistic opportunity to achieve a decent standard of living all while being protected from unfair labor practices. You know, those christian/family values that we all brag about. Professors do not make $180,000 a year. They work a lot more than 9 hours a week. Just because you didn’t get the grade you wanted in a few classes, doesn’t make it right to hate them. You sound a lot like that Dennis Lennox guy. CMU is trying to run a medical school that it cannot afford without raising tuition, unless they undercut the rest of their employees. Union workers work as hard as anyone else and when they don’t they can be fired. Union workers are protected by due process instead of being fired for no justified reason. The economy seems to have taken a huge hit with the wars, the Bush tax cuts, the banking scandal, the high cost of medical/prescription coverage and high cost of energy. The crazy thing about it, is that corporations are making record profits. None of that money is reaching the middle class. I do believe that we could solve the medical problem by implementing Universal Health Care, but that’s another argument. I’m with you on the thought of how many profs drive American made cars. — Nice name also. Is Michiganmediaperson your first or last name? If you have such strong feeling about something, at least add your name to it. I think your “?” and “!”  buttons are sticking, also. You should get that fixed.

“You can’t have faculty members who are making more than the average private sector Michigan taxpayer, wanting pay and benefit increases.”

Why the hell not? Do you not understand the concept of “qualification” or “expertise”?

Ok. Let’s say we do it your way. And while we are at it, why don’t we cut the pays of  lawyers, doctors, vets, dentists, professional athletes, entertainers, rock stars, comedians, presidents? 

heck why don’t we ALL have the same pay regardless of  job, qualification, or training? That sounds fair right?

Say hello to communism.  

Just for clarity’s sake, the rest of his post is dishonest and delusional as well.

The elite don’t work for a government paycheck. It takes an ignorant nitwit (teabaggers etc.) to believe otherwise.

Don’t buy into the dishonest framing. It wasn’t the unions that brought down the Big 3 at all, it was the upper management. If they spent more time taking care of business rather than screwing with the unions, they wouldn’t have had so much difficulty.

Of course, some dumbass thinks these demonstrated failures should be teaching at CMU: ‘For the business school, we have out-of-work auto executives … who could bring “real-world” experience to the classroom.’

It wasn’t a strike. Nor does the rest of your post afford you any high ground to be accusing others of being idiots.

Denny only aspires to the status of an opiate addict that’s so pro-family that he’s skipped on to his third one.