Eastern Michigan University President Susan Martin asks unions to forgo raises for next year
As Eastern Michigan University struggles to close a yawning budget hole, President Susan Martin has asked all unions to give up pay increases already negotiated for next year.
Martin’s request was contained in a budget update email she sent to the campus community earlier this week. In that email, she also said the university will likely cut 70 positions in the next fiscal year.
Eastern Michigan University President Susan Martin said dealing with an $11.4 million cut in the university's state appropriation and a $12 million increase in expenses is a daunting task.
File photo
Martin announced in April that non-union employees would not receive raises next year and that most cell phone allowances would be eliminated.
In an interview today, Martin said the university might have to cut more than 70 positions, especially if employees are not willing for forgo raises. "With the size of this cut from the state … we’re facing a very large number to try to deal with,'' she said. "Eighty percent of our costs in our budget are people.”
Martin emphasized that the university is working to cut areas that will not affect students and is looking to take as much out of administration as possible. Faculty positions will not be cut, she said. In fact, the number of faculty positions will probably increase slightly, and the university expects to add 11 additional lecturers.
Cutting the 70 positions would save about $4 million to $5 million, Martin estimated, but she said it was too early to determine an exact number.
The general fund budget for the current fiscal year is $280.9 million The $11.4 million cut from the state represents 15 percent of the university's appropriation.
Leaders of the university’s faculty union, whose contract calls for a 2 percent increase effective in September, reacted angrily to Martin’s suggestion of pay givebacks. “We find these actions all appalling; there’s no justification to this whatsoever,” said Howard Bunsis, a professor of accounting at EMU and secretary of EMU’s faculty union.
Bunsis said he helped compose an email that Susan Moeller, president of the EMU chapter of the American Association of University Professors, sent to union members in response to Martin’s email. Moeller wrote that the administration is grossly over-estimating the size of the budget problem. She wrote that the administration consistently understates revenues and overestimates expenses and that 23 percent of revenues were left out of the current budget analysis.
“Giving back our modest raises, as well as the layoffs of union workers is completely unacceptable. By putting out the email she did, President Martin is threatening employees with layoffs, causing worry and anxiety among all the bargained for EMU employees, and trying to turn employees against each other. That is not what good leaders do, they lead, and they treat their employees with respect.”
Instead, Moeller suggested EMU cut the number of administrators, cut their salaries and budgets and cut athletic spending as well as other non-core expenses and use cash reserves.
Martin said the university plans to make administrative cuts and cuts to the athletic department, and she rejected the suggestion that the university’s financial projections aren’t accurate.
“I am an accounting professor. I’ve written two textbooks,” she said. “This is my area of expertise, and I’m very confident in the numbers.”
Moeller and Bunsis also complained that administrators have left faculty members out of the budgeting process.
Martin also rejected that criticism. “I can’t really understand that given that they have 8 seats on the university budget council,” she said.
In the e-mail, Martin wrote that the university was not taking the easy way out in the budgeting process. “While it would be easy to recommend across-the-board reductions to balance the budget or a 7 percent tuition increase, … we have undertaken a much more difficult task. The economic situation in Michigan continues to place a hardship on many of our students and their families to afford college.”
Raising tuition by 7 percent would generate about $13 million in revenue, administrators estimate. EMU kept tuition, fees and housing rates flat for this school year. EMU freshmen living on campus this year paid about $8,000 per semester for tuition, fees and housing.
EMU needs to keep any tuition increase under 7.1 percent or a provision in the budget appropriation allows the state to impose additional cuts beyond the 15 percent the university already must accept. Martin said today a tuition increase of some sort is likely but she could not predict a number.
The Eastern Michigan University Board of Regents is expected to approve the budget and tuition for next school year at its June 21 meeting.
Contact Cindy Heflin at cindyheflin@annarbor.com or 734-623-2572.
Comments
University Do-Boy
Sat, Jun 11, 2011 : 4:55 p.m.
Don't forget to sign the governors recall petitions. You must sign in your city. In Ypsilanti, it will be at the farmers market on Tuesdays from 2-6PM. This is where the problem lies friends. Susan Martin is merely the puppet in love with her master.
LimaBean
Wed, Jun 8, 2011 : 11:04 a.m.
snapshot, do you think that those of us who work at EMU don't pay taxes? Do you think we also don't send our children to college? I have a high school junior who wants to attend EMU, and the costs of tuition & fees increases will hit my family, too. But seriously, what do you think - that all of us who work at EMU are getting rich? My base salary for full time teaching, after working at EMU for more than a decade, is under $35,000. And I'm pretty close to the median salary for my union's members. It is facile to paint unions as "greedy" but the reality is far more complex. Of course people don't want to take cuts in their pay, but what's really upsetting to a lot of EMU employees (unionized, or not) is that: 1) there doesn't seem to be a coherent plan for how this money would be used to address the underlying budget problems, so as to avoid more of the same in the future; 2) there seems to be an imbalance in priorities, with very few cuts going to athletics and the lion's share of cuts being taken out of academics (the whole purpose of a university is to educate students, not to field a losing football team); 3) there is a lot of wasteful spending happening in discretionary matters, some of which are directly under the control of the President , which she refuses to address; 3) the numbers and assumptions President Martin is using to justify these cuts are inaccurate and have been shown to be, yet she keeps using them - and she is apparently above questioning because she's an accounting professor (whoop-de-do, so are many others who disagree with her numbers); 4) the whole mess has been communicated poorly by the administration; AND 5) While people might appreciate Sue Martin's past donations to EMU (which also serve as nice tax breaks for her), the comparison between someone who makes $300,000 and lives in a University-funded mansion, and someone who makes under $35,000 and gets few perks, is weak at best, and insulting, too.
snapshot
Sun, Jun 5, 2011 : 10:46 p.m.
nion leaders need to stop digging their heels in the sand because they come off as being jerks. OK to raise the student tuition to pay for themselves, OK to increase property taxes to pay for themselves, OK to cut professors, further impacting the education of our children, but ask them to make a sacrifice and they get belligerent. I'm hoping we eleminate unions all together. If they were willing to reach into their own pocket book as much as thy're willing to reach into mine I might not feel that way. Right now, it's a battle and I say the taxpayer has got to win the war.
AACity12
Sun, Jun 5, 2011 : 3:10 a.m.
Ms. Martin must be talking to Roger Fraser. This is a page right from his playbook. "Lets take the money from those pesky peons that we have to pay and we have to give benefits to. And if they won't do it we'll make em look real bad in the press. We will make it look like it's their fault that 70 people are going to get laid off. We'll shame them into it and then lay people off anyways." Sounds like Fraser to me.
Charlie Brown's Ghost
Sun, Jun 5, 2011 : 2:41 a.m.
It's a good first step. Maybe next we can get unions to forgo unions. Good Night and Good Grief.
Sallyxyz
Sat, Jun 4, 2011 : 11:09 p.m.
Maybe all the administrators and the president should not get raises next year.....
Cash
Sat, Jun 4, 2011 : 7:03 p.m.
Susan Martin's real raise: <a href="http://www.easternecho.com/index.php/article/2011/01/susan_martin_gets_contract_extension_raise_in_salary" rel='nofollow'>http://www.easternecho.com/index.php/article/2011/01/susan_martin_gets_contract_extension_raise_in_salary</a>
EyeHeartA2
Sun, Jun 5, 2011 : 3:58 a.m.
Good article, Cash: "According to Martin, she and her husband have pledged more than $25,000 to the university" Which is more than all her raises added together. Did you ever donate a similar sum back to your employer? Or even donate your raise back?
johnnya2
Sat, Jun 4, 2011 : 10:34 p.m.
I also like this little tid bit in the article, " the board also amended Martin's contract to include $10,000 in moving expenses she incurred moving to and from University House." So you get to live int he house for FREE, and you want the taxpayers to pay your moving expenses? Your expenses are $10k? Really? Let's pretend you hire a company at $200 per hour, that means it take FIFTY hours for them to move you? I also have a huge issue with paying for when she leaves. Let her NEXT employer pay that expense. Tell me how many of the union members get a moving expense when they leave EMU? Howe many have received a dime? She also calls the raise "modest at 2.5% , but the union has only received 2%. I also want to point out that health insurance costs are not borne equally. The amount people pay is the same, but that number is not a % of their salary. So this woman pays the same for her health care that the person making $30k per year does. RIDICULOUS
Cash
Sat, Jun 4, 2011 : 10:16 p.m.
Yes, yes, and we know that raise is more than many employees at EMU make all year. But it's modest. LOL
catfishrisin
Sat, Jun 4, 2011 : 9:18 p.m.
Not to worry...her majesty, from her palace, proclaimed that her increase was "modest". We should all feel better now.
Cash
Sat, Jun 4, 2011 : 6 p.m.
Remember Mr Jesse's report in the Free Press? EMU ranks 4th highest for administrative salary in Michigan. <a href="http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2011110325057&appSession=938300166791126&RecordID=&PageID=2&PrevPageID=2&cpipage=1&CPIsortType=desc&CPIorderby=Adminpay" rel='nofollow'>http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2011110325057&appSession=938300166791126&RecordID=&PageID=2&PrevPageID=2&cpipage=1&CPIsortType=desc&CPIorderby=Adminpay</a>
AACity12
Sat, Jun 4, 2011 : 5:56 p.m.
NO its not "Union= me, me, me, me" Its "ME = me, me, me, me" And "me, me, me, me = My family, My kids, their college education, my retirement, the ability to pay my mortgage. "
gild
Mon, Jun 6, 2011 : 12:55 p.m.
If not getting a raise next year will prevent you from paying your mortgage, you're not budgeting very well.
University Do-Boy
Sat, Jun 4, 2011 : 5:22 p.m.
They are really playing politics here. The University administration and football coach keeps taking raises and the faculty think this school is Harvard and thus should be paid as such. Please review the list of salaries compiled by the Eastern Echo. <a href="http://www.easternecho.com/media/00/00/00/39/3942_TopEarningEMUEmployees.pdf" rel='nofollow'>http://www.easternecho.com/media/00/00/00/39/3942_TopEarningEMUEmployees.pdf</a> I think much of the budget problem could be solved there. I work longer hours and have more day to day responsibilities than many of the people on this list but my salary is in the $30s. The "raise" I was given was to off set the higher insurance premiums. Will Ron English give up $200,000? Will Susan Martin give up $100,000? Will Bunsis give up $75,000? They all should. Why do I have to give up my job and my puny salary.
mojo
Sat, Jun 4, 2011 : 5:04 p.m.
Perhaps returning to 1999 levels for fees and salaries would be best. . Everything else has returned that year - home values, tax levels, population .
catfishrisin
Sat, Jun 4, 2011 : 3:29 p.m.
The administration just hired an Associate Vice President of Student Affairs at a salary of 160,000 with benefits, staff and a budget. This person alone is close to a quarter of a million dollars. This VP hire along with a new basketball coach will cost EMU approximately 1/2 a million dollars which is 1/2 the raise for the entire faculty. "Education First" is a misleading slogan developed as a marketing ploy to persuade the public that academics are the top priority which in reality we know not to be true.
1bit
Sat, Jun 4, 2011 : 3:29 p.m.
Cash: The above article states "Martin announced in April that non-union employees would not receive raises next year and that most cell phone allowances would be eliminated." Following the link provided, <a href="http://www.annarbor.com/news/ypsilanti/eastern-michigan-university-to-freeze-administrator-pay/">http://www.annarbor.com/news/ypsilanti/eastern-michigan-university-to-freeze-administrator-pay/</a> , the first sentence is "Eastern Michigan University plans to freeze administrators' salaries for the next fiscal year as part of its effort to deal with a projected cut of at least $11.4 million from the state." ERMG: Of course the contract is valid and it is a false assertion that any attempt is being made to invalidate it. But, as you know, if you don't have money to pay for the raises then layoffs will be part of the equation. So the union members have a choice, a raise for most and layoffs for the rest or flat wages for all. If President Martin had summarily announced the layoffs, then there would have been a lot of moaning about not being given a choice. So, the usual course of action is negotiation which may include delaying/eliminating the raises, increasing tuition and layoffs.
1bit
Sun, Jun 5, 2011 : 1:08 a.m.
ERMG: Nope, can't blame this on the Governor. There is not an endless supply of money from the State. We disagree on double taxation of small business owners. From past discussions, we agree on other ways to increase revenue. The two are not mutually exclusive. Reality: Thanks for the comment. You are privy to information I do not have and that was not in the article. I will disagree that it is a raise, whether it is to pay for health care premiums or is other money in the pocket (i.e. most private sector employees do not have wage adjustments to account for the cost of healthcare). Irrespective of that, if the union doesn't believe that the jobs will be saved then it seems pretty straightforward to ignore the request to change the agreement. Unless, of course, it was specifically negotiated that jobs would not be lost.
reality
Sat, Jun 4, 2011 : 10:25 p.m.
1bit...The truth is that even if the unions were to give up their "raises" (most are not receiving a raise, they are receiving an amount equal to the increase in health care premiums, thus making giving up these raises a pay cut), the 70 employees the President talks about will still be let go. Her email to employees was carefully worded, giving everyone the "impression" that one was tied to the other. And I will reiterate what other on here have said, of course the Administrators will give up any increase; they already received theirs. Most received a large enough increase in January to carry them through a couple of years. These are all facts and can be checked by anyone interested in the truth. These union members are not money grabbing and overpaid; many of those that are being asked to give back their paltry raises are people making less than $30,000 a year and raising families on their own. These are not just professors; they are secretaries, janitors, police officers, computer programers...they are everyday people, just like many of you.
Edward R Murrow's Ghost
Sat, Jun 4, 2011 : 8:15 p.m.
"'business buddies' equates to people." As are the students who will see tuition increases. As are retirees on fixed income whose pensions will now be taxed. As are public employees who are being laid off and/or who are taking substantial pay cuts. It's just that some people appear to be more important to the governor than are others. The sacrifice is not being shared. Good Night and Good Luck
1bit
Sat, Jun 4, 2011 : 7:13 p.m.
Cash: I thought this whole thing is about the next fiscal year. The past fiscal year is over. ERMG: "business buddies" equates to people. Who run small businesses. Who were being doubly taxed. There is no artificial crisis, there is a real one. The schools run their own finances, not the Governor. The schools are the ones who choose to raise tuition or not, give salary increases or not, support athletic programs or not and build new buildings or not. President Martin is making a choice for EMU to try and keep it affordable. I think that is a noble undertaking, if not necessarily practical. Those at EMU have the choice to support that mission or not. It makes sense to disagree about where to make the cuts to support that mission and I imagine that process is beginning now.
Cash
Sat, Jun 4, 2011 : 5:36 p.m.
She did NOT give up her raise...but was saying she would give one up in July 2011. Well she got one in January 2011!!!!! You are missing the point.....SHE GOT A RAISE!
Edward R Murrow's Ghost
Sat, Jun 4, 2011 : 2:44 p.m.
Love the right-wing rhetoric/union bashing. Yes--it's a terrible thing to follow a signed, sealed, and delivered contract. In RepubliKan Teapartyland, contracts can be broken so long as doing so disadvantages the poor, the middle class, and union members. Not so much, however, if doing so disadvantages the business class. Good Night and Good Luck
SonnyDog09
Sun, Jun 5, 2011 : 10:53 a.m.
We've proven that all contracts are not worth the paper that they are printed on. Ask GM's bondhbolders about their contract. Did you complain when the dear leader threw them under the bus to protect his UAW minions? I thought not.
Charlie Brown's Ghost
Sun, Jun 5, 2011 : 2:45 a.m.
I agree with conservative. I hate it when he does that. Good Night and Good Grief.
Edward R Murrow's Ghost
Sat, Jun 4, 2011 : 5:39 p.m.
@c: Google is a wonderful thing. You ought try it sometime. Good Night and Good Luck
conservative
Sat, Jun 4, 2011 : 4:29 p.m.
Why do you always put, "Good night and good luck" after every post????? You wrote this at 10:44AM! Makes no sense and drives me nuts!
Fred Crothers
Sat, Jun 4, 2011 : 2:39 p.m.
Shame on the President asking for pay cuts then asking for NEW furniture for the palace she calls home! some where there isn't an equal page being played!!
Cash
Sat, Jun 4, 2011 : 2:08 p.m.
EMU adminitrators, including Susam Martin, received their raises in January. Why didn't she and all other adminsitrators turn it down?
Greg Gunner
Sat, Jun 4, 2011 : 1:42 p.m.
Truth be told. Your 2% pay raise went to Slick Rick's business cronies in the form of a tax cut. Once again Slick Rick robs the middle class to feed the wealthy. The strategy is to divide and conquer. Let the public employeee unions fight with their immediate supervisors over the remaining cookie crumbs, while the man who raided the cookie jar acts like he's the state's saviour.
johnnya2
Sat, Jun 4, 2011 : 1:38 p.m.
Its funny how if the CONTRACT said something that the administration liked, they would say "well its in the contract", but when they do not like it they want to break the contract. I wonder how many of you have gone to your mortgage company and said, I do not like this contract. I only want to pay part of what I actually owe on the house. How many banks would say yes? EMU has the right to ASK, and the union has the right to say absolutely not. By the way, why not show us a budget of the entire EMU athletic department. They lose money faster than borders. Maybe its time to make EMU what it actually is, a non-Division 1 school. with athletic scholarships.
AACity12
Sat, Jun 4, 2011 : 1:22 p.m.
Don't do it!!! They will take your pay raises and then you'll turn around and get hit with Snyders 80/20 health care law. Stay strong!
Mick52
Sat, Jun 4, 2011 : 1:56 p.m.
If they are not paying at least 20% of their health care I am shocked and have no sympathy for them if they cannot assist with offering up the 2% raise.
stunhsif
Sat, Jun 4, 2011 : 1:40 p.m.
"Stay strong!" And stay selfish, union=me-me-me-me !!!!
Victor Lacca
Sat, Jun 4, 2011 : 1:15 p.m.
the article doesn't mention Rick Snyder but he is the messenger of a depleted state coffer- so let's execute the man like the bearers of bad news are ritualistically slain everywhere. As If only Snyder were gone then all the problems would be solved- not.
Edward R Murrow's Ghost
Sat, Jun 4, 2011 : 2:37 p.m.
Of course, he depleted it even more through his $1.8 billion giveway to his business buddies. But facts like that don't matter, do they? Good Night and Good Luck
A2Realilty
Sat, Jun 4, 2011 : 1:12 p.m.
No sure that the 0% tuition increase last year looks like a good decision. A 3.5% increase last year followed by roughly the same this year would have solved the reported budget problems. Seems like a problem somewhat of their own making.
Mick52
Sat, Jun 4, 2011 : 1:54 p.m.
I agree. I was sitting at graduation a year ago when Pres Martin announced that. My first thought was "a little late, Suse." Her comment might have been more popular ar orientation than graduation. Still trying to find a job.
stunhsif
Sat, Jun 4, 2011 : 12:43 p.m.
Good luck with that Susan, it won't happen. Union= me-me-me-me-me-me-me !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Cash
Sat, Jun 4, 2011 : 2:10 p.m.
And how about Susan who took her nice raise in January with no fanfare or news articles?
Pandamonium
Sat, Jun 4, 2011 : 12:22 p.m.
"Giving back our modest raises, as well as the layoffs of union workers is completely unacceptable. By putting out the email she did, President Martin is threatening employees with layoffs, causing worry and anxiety among all the bargained for EMU employees, and trying to turn employees against each other. That is not what good leaders do, they lead, and they treat their employees with respect. Instead, Moeller suggested EMU cut the number of administrators, cut their salaries and budgets and cut athletic spending as well as other non-core expenses and use cash reserves." It is disappointing to see the nonsense displayed at our universities. Collectively, the administrators and professors behave like children defending their way of life while passing the bill to the students. These are the people we want teaching the next generation? Please do something besides pointing the finger at others.
LimaBean
Sat, Jun 4, 2011 : 12:39 p.m.
Problem: Faculty have only the power of voice, here. The ability to "do something" rests in the hands of the president and the (unelected, unaccountable) board of regents. It isn't surprising that the faculty have been outspoken. They are seeing devastating cuts coming to the core academic purpose of the University. Faculty are speaking out, not only for their own interests, but also for the students' interests. It is plain wrong for the University to cut nearly $6million from academic affairs, while not touching less crucial parts of the University at all. And it will hurt students to do this. But faculty can't do anything about it EXCEPT speak out, because the administrators - not faculty - are the ones in position to decide what gets cut.
LimaBean
Sat, Jun 4, 2011 : 12:13 p.m.
A lot of folks who work at EMU would be more willing to consider giving up raises if they really believed that the numbers and logic that President Martin has offered are solid - the truth is, they aren't. Martin and the Board of Regents have repeatedly ignored pleas from faculty & staff to correct the numbers. Her appeal to authority ("I'm an accounting professor!") does not automatically make her right.
Mick52
Sat, Jun 4, 2011 : 1:50 p.m.
I thought the argument on the "actual" numbers was the most important part of the story. I would like more info on why the faculty reps believe their is more than reported by the administration. This is an area where you cannot overestimate revenues.
1bit
Sat, Jun 4, 2011 : 12:11 p.m.
If non-union employees are foregoing raises, would it not seem fair to ask union employees to forego a raise?
1bit
Sat, Jun 4, 2011 : 3:29 p.m.
Cash: See response below.
Cash
Sat, Jun 4, 2011 : 2:11 p.m.
Administrators got their raise in January. Just ask Susan.
Awakened
Sat, Jun 4, 2011 : 11:45 a.m.
The idea that just because so many have lost jobs or taken pay cuts and the state is broke, that these facts should effect the very people who are shaping the youth of today to accept the necesary changes for the creation a utopia of shared wealth and sacrifice is outrageous. This is why Marxism fails.
gild
Sat, Jun 4, 2011 : 11:43 a.m.
I guess now we'll find out what "solidarity" really means. Will the more senior employees give up their raises so younger employees can keep their jobs, benefiting students? Or will they pocket the money and say "Sorry, Charlie" as their coworkers go on the unemployment line?
Bad Nana
Sat, Jun 4, 2011 : 2:42 p.m.
When the union (clerical union) were asked to give-up their contractually agreed upon 3% raise, they were told that it didn't guarantee any layoffs. When clerical union workers are already underpaid, its hard to agree upon on giving up a minuscule "raise" that still leaves you 10% behind the increase in cost of living increases.
sparty2219
Sat, Jun 4, 2011 : 11:39 a.m.
Why doesn't Susan Martin give up her salary?
winner
Sat, Jun 4, 2011 : 6:01 p.m.
I guess next, you will be asking her to work for free? Or maybe she should pay staff out of her pocket directly? She is paid the "big bucks" to make tough decisions for the university. If it was easy, anyone could do it.
Bad Nana
Sat, Jun 4, 2011 : 2:36 p.m.
Good point since she doesn't have a mortgage, has no car note, has no food bill, can get a driver to take her wherever she needs to go, doesn't need to buy groceries and has a staff that can clean her house. Good point!
Cash
Sat, Jun 4, 2011 : 10:36 a.m.
And yet....administrative positions are posted to be filled! I guess administrators aren't being laid off. <a href="https://www.emujobs.com/applicants/jsp/shared/frameset/Frameset.jsp?time=1307183590654" rel='nofollow'>https://www.emujobs.com/applicants/jsp/shared/frameset/Frameset.jsp?time=1307183590654</a>
Edward R Murrow's Ghost
Sat, Jun 4, 2011 : 4:53 a.m.
EMU went 0 - 0 - 0 last year and yet sees its state funding cut. File this under "No Good Deed Goes Unpunished." Good Night and Good Luck
winner
Sat, Jun 4, 2011 : 5:59 p.m.
Yes, 0 in football, 0 in basketball and now 0 in getting students to attend in the fall of 2011!!
braggslaw
Sat, Jun 4, 2011 : 1:52 p.m.
EMU did see a significant increase in applications and a higher quality freshman class because of the "value" option. I imagine many of those kids will transfer. The market is what the market is... people can choose.
leaguebus
Sat, Jun 4, 2011 : 4:21 a.m.
The state is broke, Snyder cuts $2B from potential revenue, adds new taxes on the people of the state that can least afford it, then cuts higher education by 1/7. Now a group writing here complain that all union people make at EMU make too much, that that Emu is rife with nepotism, and everyone in the Administration makes too much. Hey people, the EMU budget was cut by the Snyder TeaPublikans because they want to "create jobs" and reward their rich buddies and to do this have to throw the state universities who can't raise tuition lest they lose students under the bus. Don't blame EMU for their money problems blame the blind TeaPublicans.
dgomg1
Sat, Jun 4, 2011 : 3:06 a.m.
EMU's police chief makes more than the chiefs in Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti, UMDPS and WCSD. All with far bigger departments and responsibilities. He is rumored to have just received a huge raise on top of it. Throw money carelessly away and expect the workers to pay for it.
Boo Radley
Sat, Jun 4, 2011 : 2:38 p.m.
The police chief at U-M has been widely reported to be the highest paid chief in the State. Now you say EMU's chief is paid more. So .... which is it? There are all sorts of "facts" thrown around these forums.
Cash
Sat, Jun 4, 2011 : 12:43 p.m.
gild, Ever heard of lead by example?
gild
Sat, Jun 4, 2011 : 11:51 a.m.
You could probably make ALL of the top people work for $1 a year and sleep in a cardboard box, and still not balance the budget.
Cash
Sat, Jun 4, 2011 : 10:58 a.m.
And I think he also receives a nice retirement from the City of Ann Arbor, correct?
SW40
Sat, Jun 4, 2011 : 4:04 a.m.
It would be interesting to see how much all of the top administrators at EMU are getting paid as well as what kind of bonuses they received in the last year. Maybe Annarbor.com will do some follow up stories and pretend to be journalists for a couple days instead of printing one side of a story as usual. So how about it AnnArbor.com lets see how much Ms. Martin and all the other administrator's are getting paid as well as their last raises and bonuses.
Steve Krause
Sat, Jun 4, 2011 : 2:27 a.m.
I'm glad that annarbor.com is starting to get on the cluebus here, especially since this has been a story brewing for weeks and that has been actively discussed on emutalk.org for several days now. Nice reporting. What I am seeing missing from the story here and from the comments is that Martin et al has completely focused on cuts in academic affairs and has left athletics completely untouched. There's quite a detailed conversation on emutalk.org that raises some serious questions about all this, and the bottom line is that it is certainly not all about unions refusing to compromise, as this story suggests.
Dr. Rockso
Sat, Jun 4, 2011 : 2:44 a.m.
Your correct when you say its not all about unions. Especially at annarbor.com. This newspaper, e-paper or what ever you want to call it is staffed by underpaid children who think that they will benefit from trashing anyone that has a little better deal than they do. It wasn't much of surprise that some of the annarbor.com staff bailed to work for a real news organization that by the way is a union shop.
Lifelong A2
Sat, Jun 4, 2011 : 2 a.m.
The only "appalling" is the union's demand for a 2% raise in this economic environment. EMU professors work hard, but many of them at senior levels -- including Bunsis -- are not underpaid. Many earn more than $100,000 per year. According to the article, the faculty haven't been asked to take a pay CUT -- they've simply been asked to earn the same next year as they earned this year. Inflation was 0% last year. A pay freeze seems like a reasonable request. The faculty union is effectively demanding that EMU students pay more in tuition so the faculty can have a pay raise. Shame on the union.
Steve Krause
Sat, Jun 4, 2011 : 11:16 a.m.
First off, the contract the faculty negotiated was in itself a concession based on the bad economic state of things: that is, the raise we negotiated doesn't do much more than cover increased health insurance costs. Second, most faculty (including me, and I'm a full professor who has been teaching at the college-level for 22 years) make significantly less than $100,000 a year. But having said that, it's worth keeping in mind that college professors are highly trained professionals, and that's how much money folks like that make. I mean, Bunsis has graduate degrees in law and accounting; do you think most lawyers and accountants working for a big firm in Ann Arbor are making anything less than $150K a year? Third-- and this is critical-- Martin is asking concessions from all the unions and threatening layoffs of up to 70 in the clerical/technical pool of workers to close the budget gap, and athletics is being left untouched. In fact, depending on who's numbers you believe, athletics is actually getting more money in this climate. So I'd be willing to give up a portion of my meager raise next year if the football coaches and incoming basketball coaches and the other folks in athletics do the same.
SW40
Sat, Jun 4, 2011 : 4 a.m.
So because a few professors who make 100,000 dollars make you jealous the custodians, physical plant workers, secretaries, police officers, lecturers etc... don't deserve a raise. By the way, after spending years getting a bachelors, master's and Ph.d and probably taking out hundreds of thousands of dollars in student loans how much should a professor be paid.
Dr. Rockso
Sat, Jun 4, 2011 : 2:09 a.m.
Your confused THE RICK demanded that the students pay more at EMU and every other University in the state. Time to put down the Snyder pom poms.
genetracy
Sat, Jun 4, 2011 : 1:26 a.m.
Ms President, This is Michiagn. Union workers get raises whether there is money in the budget or not.
Michael Olsen
Sat, Jun 4, 2011 : 5:46 a.m.
Actually Ann Arbor teachers have taken pay cuts of no raises for the last number of years.
EMU Pride
Sat, Jun 4, 2011 : 1:09 a.m.
EMU is losing 15% of its budget and the president of the university warns of likely layoffs. One might think nepotism would not be tolerated on campus at a time like this.Think again as a department director at the college of business not only hired his son for a newly created position, he did so with the blessing of HR. Since the son does not work directly for his father, it seems the nepotism rule has been skirted. While officially the case, the structure of the office makes it clear that the entire staff report to the director. In other words, he told a person he directly supervises to hire his son. So no, the son does not directly report to his father… wink, wink! How could the boss be so brazen to even try to hire his son, given the financial plight of EMU? HR though, one would think, would object to this "hire" but then again, it was approved so it seems they are encouraging nepotism by allowing the hire. One has to ask, how in this environment on campus, a position could be created for the specific purpose of employing the son of the director. One has to ask how HR will justify this as the president is asking for concessions and if she does not get them, 70 people will lose their jobs! At the same time this is happening a director hires his son for a new position???? It's inexplicable.
lumberg48108
Sat, Jun 4, 2011 : 12:26 p.m.
Ax to grind or not it seems clear (by the votes) that readers think this is part of the story and relevant - that would seem to be good online communication. I for one, am very interested and think nepotism in public settings is always newsworthy and even more so if workers are going to be laid off - according to the school prez
tom swift jr.
Sat, Jun 4, 2011 : 11:38 a.m.
This really has nothing to do with the article, sounds like you have an ax to grind. It might be a good idea to do some research into how to be effective in online communication, because derails like this make you look a bit foolish.
jrigglem
Sat, Jun 4, 2011 : 3:44 a.m.
Funny how you seem to know this, yet it isn't a news story. Either you are faculty or you just violated a confidentiality agreement. I'm sure President Martin, just like every President before, is out to screw the faculty of the money that they so justly deserve. I'm sure those 6 figures some of them are making just isn't enough to survive on. Must be tough, especially given that most EMU alums from the last 3 or so years are still looking for full time employment.
braggslaw
Sat, Jun 4, 2011 : 12:40 a.m.
EMU is in a precarious situation. They cannot raise tuition as it will further shrink the pool of students that would goto EMU. EMU's graduation rate is 40% so it cannot afford to allow its entering student class to further academically degrade. UM and MSU have students sitting on waiting lists to get in, EMU does not. EMU is a "value" option for commuters, and when it is no longer a value those students will go somewhere else.