[Vision2020] Proposed Pay Period Cut for U. of I. faculty and staff

[bill london]

With his approval, I am forwarding this message from Tom Trail to V2020.  BL

>
>> Tom Trail wrote:
>>
>>> I am writing a letter to President Michael concerning the proposed pay
>>> period cut for U. of I. faculty and staff.  The letter will make the 
>>> following
>>> points.
>>>
>>>  1.  Staff who are currently at the poverty level or below should be
>>>      excluded.  During the CEC hearings during the legislative session
>>>      I complied data with the assistance of university personnel 
>>> offices
>>>      indicating the salaries of staff.
>>>
>>>      Close to 20 % of U. of I. staff are at the poverty line or 
>>> below.  This
>>>      contrasts to about 12% for BSU and 6% for  other state 
>>> workers.  The data
>>>      masks the hardship on head of  families who have to work at one 
>>> or more
>>>      jobs.
>>>
>>>      A number of BSU staff were using food stamps and qualified
>>>      for welfare.  The same occurred with a number of state employees
>>>      state patrolmen.  A BSU Department was actually providing some 
>>> free
>>
>
>        meals for staff who were below the poverty line.  One must really
>        reflect when a university department becomes a soup kitchen.
>
>
>       
>
>>>
>>>   2. Set criteria for making exceptions for those staff who have severe
>>>      hardship circumstances, i.e. high medical bills, etc.
>>>
>>>   3. Administrators to forgo two pay periods.  This would be a dynamic
>>>      signal to faculty and staff that leadership are willing to 
>>> share in
>>>      the joint solution of the problem.
>>>
>>> Rep. Ringo, Sen. Schroeder, and I have talked with many faculty, 
>>> staff, and
>>> administrators since the end of legislative session about the U. of I.
>>> financial problems.  We continue to direct efforts toward getting 
>>> additional
>>> resources in our communications to the Governor and legislative 
>>> leadership.
>>>
>>> t
>>
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