President Bruininks

and Other Highly Paid Administrators

Need a Salary Adjustment

Dinosaur Whines in Strib:

The regents will meet Wednesday to receive feedback about the proposed budget and will take final action June 24.

One of those who hopes to address the regents is Bill Gleason, associate professor in the Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology.

Gleason said he disagrees with Bruininks' priorities and suggests that, as a first step, Bruininks and others paid more than $250,000 should take an immediate 10 percent salary cut. "How about setting a good example in this area before lopping off the heads of what will turn out to be many lower-paid people?" Gleason said. "Leadership matters."

Some members of the U of M's administration have already demonstrated such leadership:

From the College of Design Memo From Dean Fisher
May 26, 2009
Monday Minute, May 26, 2009

Dear Colleagues,

Mark Twain once said, "Action speaks louder than words, but not nearly as often." One action the college has taken has certainly registered with the University.

Our leadership group -- Associate Deans Kate Solomonson and Marilyn DeLong, Assistant Dean Kate Maple, Chief of Staff Kathy Witherow, and I -- may be the only college deans at the U taking a 10 percent reduction in our appointments next academic year in order to help balance our budget. That reduction equals 26 days without pay, which some of us will spread out across the year and others will take mostly during the summer. I commend my four colleagues for joining me in this voluntary reduction; such an action does not happen nearly as often as I think it should among the leaders of organizations in times like these.

[Time for President Bruininks and members of his crack administrative staff to do the same? Is a salary freeze at $740 K equivalent in sacrifice to a much less well-paid person losing their job?]

Show us the money?