Last week his Excellency the Honorable Erskine Bowles, the University of North Carolina system’s newest president, visited N.C. State and spoke to the faculty at their annual general meeting. I had the opportunity to attend the meeting, which was held in Stewart Theatre. For a complete recap of the event log onto www.technicianonline.com and read Ryan Watkins’ news story — “UNC System president addresses faculty.”
Before I pick apart the issues addressed at the meeting, let me be the first to say that I am a huge fan of Erskine Bowles. My adoration for “North Carolina’s Harry Potter” stems mainly from his commitment to affordable higher education opportunities. To paraphrase Bowles, “I believe we not only have a constitutional mandate to keep tuition low but a moral responsibility to keep tuition low.” Powerful words — I just hope he can deliver on them. But this is not a column about tuition. I can sense a collective sigh of relief from the readers because they don’t have to read another one of my rants about tuition.
At the end of the meeting, Bowles took questions and comments. Several faculty members voiced their concerns about pay, health insurance and retirement benefits.
Hold up. Faculty is concerned about pay? If I am not mistaken, and I know I am not, the average salary of a faculty member at N.C. State is well over $100,000. Additionally many of NCSU’s 1,700-plus faculty members have tenure, which equals great job security. You need an act of god to fire these people. And they are bitching and complaining about their jobs. Perhaps I just don’t get it.
What was Bowles’ response? He is a well-educated businessman, so he would definitely see right through their BS. He said, “The pay is atrocious.” Umm? A hundred thousand dollars is atrocious. You have to be kidding me. I guess if you are making the money, Bowles is making as president ($425,000 a year, a state-provided car and mansion on Franklin Street in Chapel Hill) then faculty pay is horrible.
You know what IS atrocious — staff salaries. They are more than atrocious; they are unconscionable. Staff members, mainly housekeepers and groundskeepers, make barely enough to be considered living above the poverty line.
So what you have is a faculty corps made up primarily by white men (who make up 60 percent of the full-time faculty ranks) complaining about their pay. On top of that they have great job security, they can come and go as they please, hang out at the gym every day, teach a few classes using the slave labor of TA’s and do some research using the slave labor of PhD students. How do I apply?
I know what you are thinking — NCSU faculty salaries are well below those of our peer institutions and if we want a great institution, we need great faculty. I agree. And NCSU does have a great faculty — “Nineteen faculty members have been elected to the prestigious National Academy of Sciences or National Academy of Engineering. Six are fellows of the American Institute of Architects, two are members of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and one is a member of the American Philosophical Society,” according to N.C. State News Services. Also, I would be remiss if I did not say that I am proud that the chair of the NCSU faculty is a woman — Nina Allen.
Perhaps I just don’t get it. Maybe we should pay faculty more and continue to keep the staff as indentured servants. I know who might have all the answers — head football coach Chuck Amato. Not only was Amato in attendance at the faculty meeting but he was also the highest paid person in the audience. Maybe Amato can provide the faculty with some guidance on how get those big salaries and bonuses.
What great values we have at N.C. State — go Pack!
Contact Andrew at viewpoint@technicianonline.com
