The title can mislead you into thinking that I am talking about the so-called budget crisis here at McMaster University. Surprise, surprise, UofManitoba is having a so-called budget crisis as well. Unlike the MSU Inc., the student union at Manitoba (yes UMSU) is doing something about it.
UMSU’s work informing the local media of the reality that the so-called budget crisis is a ploy by Senior Administration for even more money as paid off in press coverage.
Here from the Winnipeg Sun is the article: http://winnipegsun.com/News/Manitoba/2006/08/10/1731406-sun.html
U of M brass do OK
Give selves fat raises despite school’s woes
By TOM BRODBECK
They don’t have enough money to fix their crumbling infrastructure or to keep class sizes down, but senior brass at the University of Manitoba have plenty of cash in the kitty to give themselves fat raises.
U of M president Emoke Szathmary was paid a staggering $320,135 in 2005, according to the university’s compensation disclosure report.
That’s up from $261,341 in 2003, a 22% raise over two years.
Not bad. That’ll pay for a few Caribbean cruises this year.
But she’s not the only senior executive on campus to belly up to the trough.
Some senior brass received pay hikes as much as 28% to 30% over two years.
HOW DO STUDENTS FEEL?
Deborah McCallum, vice-president (academic), was paid a cool $192,273 last year — a 30% increase over the $148,360 she got in 2003.
Elaine Goldie, vice-president (external), received a 28% pay raise over two years, cashing in $191,386 in 2005.
I wonder how U of M students, who are paying a new $100 ancillary fee this year, feel about that?
It’s not just senior brass getting rich pay hikes at the U of M, either.
Directors, deans and a slew of middle managers have been raiding the cookie jar, too, with lavish pay hikes as high as 15% to 20% over two years.
U of M spokesman John Danakas, for example, was paid $87,061 in 2005.
That’s up 23% from the $70,899 he was paid in 2003.
It will take a class of 162 students paying the new $100 ancillary fee this year to cover his pay hike alone.
Pretty tough to stomach.
More importantly, though, it makes it very difficult to take the U of M seriously when they whine about how cash-strapped they are and how they have no choice but to cut services and jack up student fees.
There’s sure no shortage of cash when it comes to lining their own pockets.
John Alho, the U of M’s associate vice-president (external) — what’s up with these goofy titles, anyway? — says senior brass are actually on the low end of the pay scale compared with other universities in Western Canada.
“It’s a very competitive market when it comes to recruiting and retaining staff at universities and salary schedules need to reflect what the market is,” said Alho. “Our folks are fairly low on that scale in terms of how much they get paid.”
For example, Szathmary — the president — is the second lowest paid in Western Canada, said Alho.
What a trouper.
“I think her salary’s competitive with what’s going on in the market,” he said.
Of course, the U of M only compares itself with four other universities when it comes to salaries — University of British Columbia, University of Alberta, University of Calgary and University of Saskatchewan.
That’s our “peer group,” said Alho.
Sure it is.
“No disrespect to our colleagues over in (the University of) Winnipeg or Brandon (University) — wonderful institutions, both of them,” said Alho. “But we compare ourselves to what’s taking place at U of S in Saskatchewan, at UBC — U of A.”
Of course you do. That way you can jack up your salaries.
Look, when Manitoba can get its economy anywhere near that of Alberta or British Columbia, the U of M can start using that as a barometer.
Until then, they should get their hands out of our pockets and start spending our money more responsibly.
They’re bleeding us dry.
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SENIOR UNIVERSITY EXECUTIVES BELLYING UP TO THE TROUGH
TOP 10 U OF M BRASS PAY:
2003 2005 %-age change
- Emoke Szathmary (president) $261,341 $320,135 (22%)
- Joanne Keselman (VP-research) $180,193 $210,601 (17%)
- Robert Kerr (VP-academic) $180,969 $204,362 (13%)
- Deborah McCallum (VP-administration) $148,360 $192,273 (30%)
- Elaine Goldie (VP-external) $149,715 $191,386 (28%)
- Digvir Jayas (associate VP-research) $167,833 $181,319 (8%)
- David Morphy (vice-provost) $140,510 $161,664 (15%)
- Leanne Burkowski (comptroller, 2003; associate VP-finance, 2005) $122,014 $151,986 (25%)
- Richard Lobdell (vice-provost) $136,874 $151,827 (11%)
10-Peter Cattini (dept. head, 2003; associate VP, 2005) $121,701 $150,709 (24%)
— U of M compensation disclosure reports 2003, 2005