As new shrewd students surely know, the Texas government is at an estimated $27 billion deficit.
The initial 5 percent cut of state funding for higher education institutions was bad enough, but the fiscal double tap of Governor Rick Perry, who is ordering back 2.5 percent of the state’s budgeted money, only forces universities’ reactions to be more drastic.
They have to make their own cuts to stay afloat; without increasing student tuition, there are only so many options available.
Universities typically react by eliminating non-essential services, merging together positions and offices, and when worse comes to worse, letting go of low demand classes, degrees and fresh professors.
Public education takes this unfortunate route in order to pay utilities, financial aid and student services. However, the professors’ salaries and that of anyone who helps keep the campus afloat is one of the larger chunks of change to cover and to question.
Obviously President Renu Khator earns the most, which is to be expected. Below her are the Athletic Director, vice-presidents and deans, similar to what students may presume.
Professors are a little lower on the ladder. Under Athletic Director Mack Rhoades is an Administrative and Finance VP, then two separate deans, then Provost John Antel.
According to the Texas Tribune, the annual salaries of many administrators were high enough to leave a bad taste in many fiscally savvy student’s mouths, but one position in general stood out. Executive Director of Financial Aid Salvador J. Loria reportedly earned an annual rate of $395,199.96, according to the Texas Tribune.
With the nearly $400,000 salary, Loria is the second-highest paid employee — he’s above deans, professors, and coaches.
The average salary at UH is roughly $42,000. Earning four times the average amount should reflect four times the performance. Yet ask any financial aid student if waiting in lines for hours, dealing with cumbersome paperwork and getting hassled reflects above average performance.
State cuts to education will only deepen, so why will no one consider salary reductions as a method to stem the bleeding?
What will be the tipping point when UH reacts to cuts in such a way that it heavily disadvantages not only the students but also the academic reputation of the University?
Likewise, why do University administrators simultaneously refuse to donate their own money, reduce their salaries or refuse raises?
If and when UH prunes itself by firing overworked and underpaid custodial staff, struggling professors, low-level teaching assistants and other persons on campus who don’t make anywhere near what the higher-ups earn, plenty of high paid members of the campus should bear in mind that they could do with a little salary pruning themselves.
Expendable would be a harsh word, and it is not like those who have to do the firing are some malevolent villains, but when tightening the belt, it wouldn’t be such a bad idea to look at salary cuts before cutting corners.
David, you are right on target.
Unfortunately that won't happy when the "leader" on top sets the example of greed and self-promotion. Dr. Khator took 18% 75K raise for herself!!! The lame excuse that she did not get a raise the year before is absurd given that nobody had raises except for a few faculty who had retention raises. Her perks (mansion, personal cadillac, personal driver, maids, etc.) are out of line with the day-to-day lives of students, staff, and faculty.
It is clear that UH is top heavy with too many administrators who receive excessive salaries. Don't forget that many of these administrators have also additional compensation in the form of "administrative stipends". These administrators don't teach, don't advise graduate students, don't do research.
If you look carefully, you will see that many of these administrators are failed professors who became career administrators much like career politicians. They lost touch with teaching and research. There should be cuts for sure; but there should also be term limits for these administrators. They need to go back to the classroom!!
On the contrary, they must NOT go back to the classroom, if, as you say, they are failed professors.
While Loria was paid $400K, that was as a ridiculously-high consultant fee for Peoplesoft. Now he is only paid $180,000 a year by the university. Still more than all but about 10 professors.
Dr. Khator announced the new Carnegie rating.
Great news for UH!
Unfortunately, she will use this achievement (earned on the back of faculty and students' hardwork) to take credit for herself and ask for more salary while slashing resources for faculty and students… She should remember that this achievement is the result of long-term academic investments and efforts and has little to do with her tenure here. In fact, the level of research mismanagement during her tenure at UH puts a lot of strain of faculty and students to keep up research productivity…
As a UH staff member making below the poverty level (there are others worse off than myself, too), I do not make enough to be furloughed to help the budget this year. There are many ways that UH can cut back that wouldn't involve cutting student services, but as we have seen before the people on top won't be giving up any of their money or prestige to help out. That goes for Gov Perry as well. Sadly, the answers will be raising tuition, fees and letting go of people who need their jobs to feed their families.
While the senate is focused on serious budget issues, President Khator continues her wasteful practices squandering our resources!
President Khator's mismanagement of UH-Victoria caused tension between the community, the President of UH-Victoria, Dr. Hudson, and herself. When she decided to remove Dr. Hudson last August, she CREATED a new high-level high-pay position for Dr. Hudson (Special Assistant to the Chancellor for International Programs and Initiatives) to, we assume, silence him in exchange for this consolation prize…
The pattern repeats itself: Dr. Khator has just removed Dr. Elwyn Lee from the VP for student affairs position and again CREATED A NEW high-level high-pay cabinet-level position (vice president for community relations and institutional access)!
While the campus is concerned about the reduction or elimination of vital positions and services, President Khator continues to waste our resources by her highly questionable practices.
She does not seem to understand the situation we are in and, while she appears to be a good motivational speaker, she fails to set the example by her own actions and therefore she fails to provide the critical leadership we need during these hard times.