A Question of Priorities Part III

A Question of Priorities Part III 

The U of M administration has offered a salary increase of less than 1% to the University employees represented by Teamsters Local 320. These food service, custodial, and clerical workers provide services each day for all the students, professors, staff, and administrators. The recent $400,000 raise for basketball coach Richard Pitino is more than the total salary increase offered to all these University employees. See the September 1, 2015 Star Tribune on U Employees Protest Salary Negotiations.

The offer to these University employees in comparison to the raise for the coach demonstrates the priorities of the U of M administration.  And demonstrates (once again) how out of touch the highly paid senior administrators are with the daily economic lives of workers and students and parents.

But the senior administrators and the Regents do not make any connections between these actions and do not understand how their actions adversely affect the relationship of the University with these groups (and other groups, such as the state legislators who are watching all this).

Then the U of M president tells us that these same senior administrators must be paid very well to recruit and retain them.  The compensation for senior administrators places the University at risk of losing the continuing goodwill and financial support of donors, state legislators, and the general public.  See The Cost of "Top Talent" Part I and Part III.

Michael W. McNabb

University of Minnesota B.A. 1971; J.D. 1974

University of Minnesota Alumni Association life member

Editor's Note: 

What does this say about us at the University of Minnesota when we offer a salary increase of less than one percent to our lowest paid employees? It says that we will take advantage of anyone we think we can.

I am ashamed.

May I never hear the words "social justice" out of this administration.

William B. Gleason, U of M prof (retired)

U of M alumnus, 1973