ALLEN: Cut from the top to invest in higher education
Central Michigan University President George Ross can question the validity and accuracy of the Detroit Free Press story published on March 27 all he wants, as I question the effectiveness of paying university administration huge salaries.
This administration continues to raise our tuition and spend it on what, in my mind, are frivolous ventures such as a medical school. I see no controversy in this news report from the Detroit Free Press. I do see why the administration would argue it, because it makes them look bad, and CMU cannot have that.
Too bad University Communications could not control this story. They were unable to give it a fairy-tale ending. But I am sure they are working on something to protect their image as a somewhat fiscally conservative institution.
It is good we are questioning the spending of universities in this state, especially when they continue to dump the burden of pay on students’ backs.
It doesn’t make sense to have students continue to pay more in tuition, fees or whatever.
Doesn’t anyone see students have been tapped out?
I know dwindling state money coming to this university is not helping. If income or funding is decreased then changes should come to the budget, which it has in some places. But to have an increase in administrators and increase in pay makes me ask ‘WTF’.
The overall administrative pay hike was 30 percent according to the Higher Education Institutional Data Inventory. We have leaders making outrageous salaries at this university while faculty, temporary faculty and students suffer due to blatant greed.
It is shameful.
Be the leader here, Mr. Ross, and invest in higher education. Take a cut; make the sacrifice just like the rest of us. Then ask the other huge breadwinners to do the same. I think real leadership in this university will look at itself before freezing anyone else’s salary or asking someone to work without a contract.
The reserve fund should be used for immediate tuition relief. In poor conditions long-term plans sometimes must be held off even longer.
It is a disgrace that no members of the leadership are willing to do that. So we students prepare ourselves to pay more next year and listen to this university explain the reason it is spending money on what it believes are important projects — a wonderful tale that will keep us subdued as they empty our wallets and fill theirs.
Can it be that the CMU administration has forgotten the roots of this college? Has it forgotten that students and faculty are an integral part of the campus?
Invest in allowing students an affordable education. That is the only investment that makes sense.
