[Vision2020] faculty staff payraises at UI

[Saundra Lund]

Hi Debbie,

For those off campus interested in reading the article Debbie mentions, you
can find it at:
http://www.argonaut.uidaho.edu/current/news1.html

My *very* limited understanding (translated:  someone please correct me if
I'm wrong!) is that while the legislature mandated a 2% increase (at a cost
of more than $1.5 million), it was another of those *unfunded* mandates.
So, where would the money come from?

It seems to me that the money would have to be added to the already
incredibly lengthy deficit list that the UI is currently trying to address
by chopping programs.  I could well be wrong, though:  maybe there's some
magic pot of money out there that could fund the mandated 2% increase
without adding to the debt.  Anyone know?

If you ask me, the picture is grimmer than grim.  This comes from
yesterday's Daily News:
"UI provost Brian Pitcher greeted approximately 100 hopeful faces with a
solemn message.

"I think this meeting is a very good thing. It's good to see the level of
faculty discussion that has gone into this proposal. There is still a budget
gap," Pitcher said. "We believe we will be looking at vertical (program)
cuts. State funding is going away. Although it is not explicit, that seems
to be the trend in Idaho. The vision is fewer programs that are adequately
funded - We are inadequately funded in almost every program." 

Pitcher said the university's multiyear budget gap of more than $30 million
is bad enough. An expected state funding holdback in 2005 strips away any
flexibility within the budget. 

"We believe the economic forecast is too rosy," he said. "Remember, this is
an election year. It is very common after elections for the Legislature to
find a gap in the budget and impose a holdback. We anticipate that will
happen." 

The once optimistic crowd became quiet and stunned."

I think your point about staff not having a voice may be a valid one (since
I'm not employed by the UI, I don't know), but I'm not clear that the UI
Federation of Teacher's recommendation is for CLASS *staff*.  I know the
first sentence of the article states that it is, but everything I've seen
pertains to *faculty* being willing to forego the unfunded 2%.  Can someone
clarify this?

And, I hate to keep beating a drum that some may be tired of hearing, but I
*really* wish UI administrators/faculty/staff would apply some meaningful
heat to the powers that be to hold *someone* accountable for the
unconscionable erosion of health care benefits.  Not only are employees
getting poorer and poorer due to no pay increases, but the cuts in health
care benefits are adding significant insult to injury  :-(


Saundra Lund
Moscow, ID

The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good people to do
nothing.
-Edmund Burke


-----Original Message-----
From: vision2020-admin@moscow.com [mailto:vision2020-admin@moscow.com] On
Behalf Of Debbie Gray
Sent: Friday, April 02, 2004 10:11 AM
To: vision2020@moscow.com
Subject: [Vision2020] faculty staff payraises at UI


I've been reading about the UI Federation of teachers and how they 
have voted to forego the alleged 2% raise that UI faculty/staff are 
supposed to get per Dirk. I think that is an interesting idea and 
don't necessarily oppose it. However, I am concerned that the 56 
FACULTY members that voted are seeming to represent the entire 
population of the staff and faculty of the UofI, here and off-site. 
There is no voice for the staff, and 56 is a pretty poor sample to be 
representing such a large and diverse group. Shouldn't there be a 
more representative way of getting input from employees regarding 
this decision?

Any thoughts?

%^%^%^%^%^%^%^%^%^%^%^%^%^%^%^%^%^%^%^%^
Debbie Gray                                dgray@udaho.edu
%^%^%^%^%^%^%^%^%^%^%^%^%^%^%^%^%^%^%^%^

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