by Jack Lee
As you know the University of California system is extremely cash strapped and it was necessary to raise tuitions (which is a kind of student tax) to a new record high. And what did they do with the new found (tax) money? Why they spent $148 million on handing out bonuses. And this goes to employees that are already making up to $200,000 a year in salary, not counting the lavish benefit package. In the fall tuitions (student taxes) are going up again by 8%.
In a “Dear Colleagues” letter Wednesday, UC President Mark Yudof said that raises are necessary to keep faculty from being lured away by higher-paying institutions and that staff deserve more money as a signal that they are appreciated.
UC professors can earn above $400,000 in base salaries but receive nearly $1 million a year from bonuses and other earnings.
Shall I say it for you? Yes, I think I shall: “Are out of your freaking mind? You stupid, out-of-touch, over-educated, idiot! How dare you!
The people you’re giving this precious money too are already making far more than their counterparts in the private sector. I’ll bet you couldn’t blast them out of their cushy jobs with dynamite! And as we watch our savings evaporate, as the market dives another 500 points, as the nation (and perhaps the world) is facing a double dip recession or worse, you’re freely doling out fat bonuses to already overpaid employees?
People are scared Mr. Yudof and your actions aren’t helping! Do you not realize that most people are living from month to month, and they are deeply concerned what tomorrow may bring?
Good jobs are impossible to find in this economy. The European Common Market is close to a melt down. Gold, the barometer of fear and economic trouble, is skyrocketing. There’s no good news out here and the future looks bad, Mr. “Given away money” Yudof!
The U.S. unemployment is approaching 10% (real unemployment is closer to 18%) and you have the audacity, nay, the sheer and unmitigated gall, to insult those of us who pay your stinkin salary by squandering millions on a gesture; millions that were intended to be spent to just keep the classroom doors open for education? Have you no sense of proportion, no empathy for, or understanding of, the economic turmoil we little folk face?
Mark Yudof you need to be fired, as of today! You need to go, you need to be tossed out of your Ivory Tower and land hard on your posterior. Then lets see what kind of wonderful job you find next?” Sincerely said, A. California Taxpayer
This is exactly why the average taxpayer doesn’t trust government and why they don’t want taxes raised to pay down the national debt. We (tax payers) have a rational fear that if more money is given to government more money will be spent.
Outrageous. Another outrage in a long trail of outrages from the University of California.
Clearly, the business of educators at the university level is not education, it the business of increasing their own already extravagant wealth.
If there was ever a “poster child” for the fat cat system abuser, it is Mark Yudof.
How dare he? Because he can.
Pie, he can indeed and this is when we must fight back, some how some way, there must be a way to cancel out such madness.
Gee…besides being a “tax” on students to fatten the wallets of fat cats in the UC System this tuition increase could be seen as another way to redistribute wealth. The University of California was Obama’s BIGGEST donor in the last election at a whopping $1,648,685.00. I wonder how much they plan to give him this year?
There is a simple way to cancel out such madness: Don’t attend. I wish I had not. I am a graduate of UC, with both a BA and advanced degrees. That never helped me in my career or in my life. In fact, I am ashamed, and I have concealed those degrees for the majority of my life. When my UC Alumni magazine arrives in the mail every month (I have no idea how they tracked down my address), it goes straight from the mailbox into the recycle dumpster.
The UC system is just one of three higher educational systems in the state, with the private universities being the fourth.
The UC system has 10 campuses with administrators, supervisors/managers, faculty and support staff.
The CSU has 23 campuses with the same type of employees receiving similar salaries. (Remember the PS article last month about the CSU San Diego president getting the $400k salary which was $100k more than the previous president?)
Then there is the Community College system that is comprised of 72 districts, 112 colleges and enrolls more than 2.9 million students. Their chancellors and presidents are paid $400k and above each year with huge benefits and expense accounts.
Add the K-12 system to the states educational cost and the figures would chock an elephant.
The UC and CSU system is run by regents, while the community colleges and K-12 are run by school boards with elected members.
Don’t like what is happening? Change the board memebers next election. ALL employment contracts are approved by the school boards for the ALL salaries. From the very highly paid Chancellors/supervisors, managers/supervisors, faculty and the low paid support staff.
Thank you Peggy that is good information. How much does our the head person at little Butte College get paid, do you know?
Dr. Soaps: I’m surprised you don’t take part in their special alumni events. You have achieved the highest academic honors possible from one of our finest universities, that’s a rare and noteworthy lifetime achievement.
No luck so far, but I’m looking. I did find this and it says it’s out there somewhere.
19792.5. (a) In order to permit the public to track upward mobility
and the impact of equal opportunities on persons, categorized by
race, ethnicity, gender, and disability in state civil service, the
State Personnel Board shall annually track, by incremental levels of
ten thousand dollars ($10,000), the salaries of persons, categorized
by race, ethnicity, gender, and disability, in state civil service.
For purposes of this subdivision, “upward mobility” means the
advancement of persons, categorized by race, ethnicity, gender, and
disability, to better paying and higher level positions.
(b) The board shall report salary data collected pursuant to
subdivision (a) to the Governor and the Legislature in its Annual
Census of State Employees and Equal Employment Opportunity Report, as
required in Section 19793, and shall include in this report
information regarding the progress of individuals by race, ethnicity,
gender, and disability in attaining high-level positions in state
employment. The salary data shall be reported in annual increments of
ten thousand dollars ($10,000) by job category, race, ethnicity,
gender, and disability in a format easily understandable by the
public.
Here are the salaries for Butte College’s President and two VPs.
Data from 2006-10. More details – Start new search.
Year Agency First Name Last Name Position Reg Pay Total
2010 Butte College
Kenneth Meier Vice-President $143,499.96 $153,555.96 Details
2010 Butte College Allen Renville Vice-President $145,914.12 $152,890.92 Details
2010 Butte College Diana Van Der Ploeg President $197,899.20 $212,176.08 Details
Still looking for their chancellor’s salary, if they have one.
Records 1-3 of 3
Good work Peggy, I guess these salaries could be a lot worse, but for our community they seem to be pretty healthy. How many in the local private sector make $212k a year plus benefits? Probably not many, least not in Butte County.
You might think I’m way off, but my thought would be, 125k max for the Chancellor, and down from there to the rest of the supervisors. I don’t think they could make more anywhere else in this county. This is great pay considering our cost living and the average wages. I have no doubt there would be a whole lot good candidates for their positions even if their pay was cut by 40%.
Here are the superintendent’s salary for Chico Unified for 2008 only. 2009 and 2010 were not posted. (I see the 2006, but think it’s a typo.)
Year Agency First Name Last Name Position Reg Pay Total
2008 Chico Unified School District JAN COMBES ASST SUPERINTENDENT-BUSINESS $129,579.96 $129,579.96 Details
2006 Chico Unified School District CHET FRANCISCO
SUPERINTENDENT $186,594.00 Details
2008 Chico Unified School District KELLY STALEY SUPERINTENDENT $166,688.04 $166,688.04 Details
Here is the info. on Yuba CC chancellor’s salary. I give up on Butte.
Houston’s base salary is $218,000 with health benefits, a $600 monthly travel stipend, a cellphone allowance and expense reimbursements. His employment contract provides for 22 vacation days, 14 paid holidays, 10 days of management leave and 12 days of sick leave a year.
Read more: http://www.appeal-democrat.com/articles/college-106757-houston-district.html#ixzz1VS24Ylfr
And here is a great link to South Orange CC showing every position with its step and range. It doesn’t give the number of employees in each job title.
Click on each category.
http://www.socccd.org/humanresources/hr_salary.html
With the housing market down all over the state the property tax and bonds to support these schools is way down too. I see no reason for these salaries not to be cut. These are not union workers, they are management and, therefore, negotiate their salaries directly with the school board or other governing agent.
I know the libs will jump on my next statement like a fly on….., but the difference is between public sector jobs funded by tax dollars and private sector jobs paid with privately earned revinues. (There is a difference even if you all refuse to see it.)
Cutting 10% from a $300k a year chancellor’s salary has less impact on the individual vs. a 10% cut on a $30k a year clerk’s salary. Supporting one or more people on $30k a year is trying to survive and make the rent on an apartment, while $300k a year will qualify for a $900k mortgage on a home. Plus, 10 low paying jobs would have to be cut to equal just one high paid position, resulting in more economic ripple effects.
It’s almost midnight, I’m going to bed. Have a good one.
Ok, last post.
Butte College doesn’t have a chancellor. Their top CEO is a president, with four vice presidents. Their salaries are listed above.
Organizational chart:
http://www.butte.edu/common/planning_and_information/office_of_vp/8-10-11%20Butte%20College%20Org%20Chart.pdf
Calif. code requires salaries to be made public and easy to understand, but doesn’t say it has to be easy to find.
“The salary data shall be reported in annual increments of
ten thousand dollars ($10,000) by job category, race, ethnicity, gender, and disability in a format easily understandable by the public.”
I can’t add a thing, you said it Peggy. I totally agree.
“As you know the University of California system is extremely cash strapped and it was necessary to raise tuitions (which is a kind of student tax) ….”
I beg yer pardon? I may seize and stroke. UC students are not paying for a service?
You can say UC students are paying more than a UC BA is worth, certainly. But taxes are paid are paid toward the common good. UC students are purchasing something for themselves … ostensibly … an education … which may, in turn, benefit society, but you’re calling it a tax says to me that the students, individually, shouldn’t have to pay at all … as they are not yet tax-paying employee-citizens.
You do confuse me.
I can, however, only support the proposition that the denizens of the University of California, most particularly the President and Regents need to have their kiesters kicked klean around the block … til their attitudes most decidely adjust to the new economic reality.
If some UC economist thinks he can do better in Texas … let him go … and when his children go asthmatic, he can console them with his fabulous salary.