[Vision2020] UI Waste & Arrogance

[Saundra Lund]

Hi Jennifer,

Points taken, and I, too, feel for both schools.

However, would it really have been so difficult to realize that this
particular ad was a little different and called for a modification?  Heck,
even I (definitely not a creative person!) can see how simple it would have
been to make a minor change or two that would have been keeping with the
marketing hook without causing hurt feelings to those in the UI community
who are already feeling like they're hanging out there.

And, I'm not meaning to hijack this thread, but I do want to make an
additional comment or two in defense of faculty since we've rightly paid a
lot of attention to the hardship pay cuts would bring to some staff.

It's certainly true that some faculty are well-paid.  But, it's also true
that some staff are very well-paid as well, particularly those who have been
at the UI for more than a couple of years and have gone through the process
of having their positions upgraded time & again.  I know some staff people
who make more than some faculty members, which is something I think we need
to remember:  those pay cuts that can be devastating for some staff will
also be devastating from some faculty.

I think there's also a misconception that all faculty are well-paid, and
that's just not the case.  Starting salaries for faculty depend to some
degree on which departments they are hired by, and some departments have
more resources for hiring than do other departments.

Too, probably the majority of new faculty have significant student loans
they incurred to get the degrees required for their professions, which is
something most staff don't have.

Finally, I want to remind folks that most faculty that are hired probably
come from out of the area while most staff are probably local.  This
probably doesn't matter after the first year or two or three, but for new
faculty hires, I think we need to not dismiss the particular hardships this
presents:  they uprooted themselves & their families to become members of
the UI family, in some cases accepting positions that would barely be enough
to support themselves & their families.  A 3% (or whatever) pay cut is going
to be as financially devastating to them as to many others.

IOW, simply carrying the "faculty" designation doesn't automatically confer
some magic financial advantage staff is lacking.  I think we all know this
on some level, but I thought it might be a good time for us to remember it
:-)


Saundra Lund
Moscow, ID

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

***** Original material contained herein is Copyright 2009 through life plus
70 years, Saundra Lund.  Do not copy, forward, excerpt, or reproduce outside
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-----Original Message-----
From: Jennifer Ingalls [mailto:jennifer at inlandradio.com] 
Sent: Wednesday, April 29, 2009 12:52 PM
To: 'Saundra Lund'; vision2020 at moscow.com
Subject: RE: Re: [Vision2020] UI Waste & Arrogance

Saundra,

I have not seem their other print advertising; however, in their TV
campaign, they will show students or other faculty and highlight something
special about their scholarship, athleticism, or research then tag it with
"I'm Suzie Student and I AM the University of Idaho." It's similar to WSU's
" . . . my color is Crimson" advertising campaign. WSU did something similar
to introduce their new coaches. Are they truly "crimson" yet since they
haven't seen the field yet? Probably not, but it is what it is . . . a
marketing hook/tag or whatever you want to call it.

I feel for both schools. They're in bad positions to advertise or to try and
hire people to fill positions with cut-backs on the table in both
institutions. With Idaho not actively talking (to my knowledge) about
cutting enrollment like WSU has, though, I think they have to continue to
advertise to try and recruit students. 

Sincerely,
 
Jennifer