STUDENT NEWSPAPER EXPOSES INFLATED PAYMENTS TO “HIGHER EDUCRATS”
University of South Carolina president Harris Pastides isn’t the only “higher educrat” getting a massive pay raise this year …
According to an expansive report published in The Daily Gamecock, hundreds of administrators and faculty members at USC are getting huge raises this year – annual salary increases over and (well) above the 3 percent pay raise awarded to all state employees in this year’s biggest-ever South Carolina budget.
Thad Moore – the news editor for the student newspaper – reports that nearly 200 administrators and faculty members at USC got raises of $10,000 or more this year. Moore’s report also reveals that nearly 75 of these employees were already earning more than $100,000 a year.
“USC handed out raises well above the state-mandated 3 percent, with some top administrators receiving upwards of 20 percent more money this year, according to analysis of data provided by the S.C. Budget and Control Board under an open records request,” Moore reported.
Getting big bumps? The school’s general counsel, chief financial officer, “associate vice president for research” and “associate vice president for research,” among others.
In addition to these pay hikes, earlier this year it was announced that Pastides had received a $125,000 raise – bringing his total salary to more than $724,000 a year.
Amazing isn’t it? South Carolinians are still taking it on the chin – with household incomes shrinking last year – but these bureaucrats are getting fat pay bumps? And getting them despite the University of South Carolina’s plummeting academic position and its ever-escalating investment in failed command economic boondoggles?
Unreal …
According to USC’s vice president for communications, Luanne Lawrence, most of the raises were “associated with a significant change” in the employees’ job descriptions – however she did not immediately respond to a request for details about several of the most controversial raises. Meanwhile Pastides told The Daily Gamecock that many of the raises were designed to retain talented researchers.
Whatever the reason, in this current economic climate these raises area totally out of line – even if USC’s academic standing was rising, not slipping.
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22 comments
How long have they gone without a pay raise?
Just as long as the rest of us USC employees who didn’t get raises.
The new job description should include “thief.”
If you donate money to USC or Clemson or any public higher ed in SC, you are a chump.
The “change is job descriptions” is the ultimate bullshit here. I have seen many people in academics get large pay raises, and their daily work lives did not change at all. If these people are going to give themselves excessive raises, then they should just admit it: They did it because they could, as people, in general, are too stupid or too corrupt to demand that excessive pay raises be stopped.
The problem is nothing can be done about it. They will not tolerate questioning from the “common people” since they view themselves as much more important to society. Elitism at it’s finest.
This is basically a ridiculous article, attempting to paint the University in a negative light by pointing out that they are giving out salary increases. If you could somehow document that the University is being wasteful here, or spends considerably more on salaries than comparable size universities, then it might be a relevant/insightful article. But it seems silly to me to take a cheap shot and try to make the University look bad, and then in the same article mention the “plummeting academic position” of USC. Maybe they are doing just what Pastides said, and trying to retain talented researchers, in hopes of improving the “plummeting academic position”. What would make you happy, for the University to dramatically cut all salaries, lose talented employees, and then hire less qualified personnel? It is almost like that’s what you’re suggesting they do, but how is that a good thing for the University?
Why are the same folks getting multiple double-digit salary increases when other departments during this same time-frame are being told that there is a salary freeze going on? How many other pay for performance raises sat on the Provost’s desk waiting his approval? There are folks out there that haven’t had a 1% raise in nearly 10 years and have taken on entire additional jobs because of cuts and they’re not seeing any increases. The VP of HR has had nearly $100,000 in increases since 2010. You don’t notice that nearly every executive position at USC is listed in this list? Where is the money for the little folks who actually do the work at USC?
Now, now captain, you know Sic Willie will not tolerate logic that could mess up his little stories.
There are people at state agencies who have lived with pay freezes and furloughs for most of the past 12 years who routinely have job duties added…sometimes to their actual job descriptions, sometimes not. They don’t get one more red cent for it either way.
Why are these people so special? Do they save people’s lives? Do they live in another world? It certainly seems they exist on a different plane.
+1
Actually, +5.
Petey, I don’t disagree with what you are saying at all. Everything is not always fair, with regards to the higher-ups getting raises and the lower-level positions not getting them. My main point is the article is basically taking a cheap shot at the university with no logic to support it, (as CNSYD mentioned. Again, I would possibly agree with the article, etc if there was documentation to show that the higher ups at USC are getting paid considerably more than higher ups at other similiar universities. If that is not the case, then I guess that just means USC is paying the going rate out there for qualified executive level positions. Again, the alternative is what– to not pay the going rate, and therefore have inferior people in high level positions?
The point is, were these people going to leave if not paid more? I know several of the people on this list and I can guarantee that they were going nowhere. I’d like to know what justifies these huge raises (some nearly 100% over two years) while others in non-executive positions are sitting on the Provost’s desk… because there’s no money for 5%-10% increases for those making $30,000.
USC announced yesterday that NO TRANSFER STUDENTS will be allowed to live on campus for next year. Again, they are 500 beds shorts. My son is in the new USC Gateway program. These students are living at the Roost. They were told by the chief leaders in the Darla School of Business auditorium on parent/student orientation day the they were “USC students in every way”. Now they added a semicolon to the sentence, but you have to leave and you want e considered for a chance to li e on campus. The students that met the requirements put upon them by USC have held up their end of the bargain….USC Housing committe did not. What they did was appalling, unprofessional, and sets a bad examples. It all ends with the “how much the mighty dollar is worth. Solution…enroll 500 students less for next year. USC….take care of your children that are already in your house. It goes back to the “almighty buck”. PS The honor students get to stay and of course the out of state students…yup…they bring in more money. Take care of your South Carolina students! Shame on you USC! They cheated these USC Gateway students and kicked their morale. Step up to the plate and make it right…make it fair. Put these students in the lottery like every rising sophomore student…just be fair. (Of course, we must o drool the honor and out of state student). USC PUT THEMSELVES A O E THE LAW…..they put rules and requirements for these students. It they themselves don’t have to avid by their own rules. Shame on you USC. When it’s time to rate the new USC Gateway Program run by USCand Midland, they will be in for a rude awaking. Clemson, College of Charleston and Furman have had the same type program for years and they have not treated their students the way USC has their Gateway students.
These are the same people who didn’t get shit the last six years. Believe Romney if you will, but the economy has improved.
Actually that is only partially correct. What about the rest of the employees on the lower 90% of the pay scale who didn’t get shit the last 6 years and haven’t gotten shit again this year? The only people at USC who have seen improvement are the executive administration who are already making six-figure incomes.
The VP of HR is from Lexington and a real asshole. He should be FIRED.
A necessary quality for any HR “wheel”
Pastides isn’t going to fire anyone… that’s been proven.
Ummm you are right about one thing. He does live in Lexington. But he is a very nice person. You probably do not even know him at all. I do personally and he is a great guy.
you go Cely! this sounds like a scandal worthy of a federal investigation! Im with you.
Thanks…Just got a call from a USC Trustee. He says he’s taking my concern to the Board. Ok..I will keep the faith even though the unnecessary raises are totally uncalled for and appalling. I am on a mission and have plastered on Facebook, Twittered, and speaking to a writer for The State paper, not to mention my blog. After reading all the comments here, it’s evident the word is not getting out because today when I spoke to people no one knew and no one was happy when they heard it. Tweeet, twitter, facebook, blog, do something to get the word out….I will certainly try. I pretty much said it all about my mission, but it you want to see the blog, it is http://creatingincarolina.blogspot.com again, I’m get the word out about these raises..travesty!
Part II – Today’s headlines in the Daily Gamecock.
http://dailygamecock.com/index.php/component/k2/item/5306-237-faculty-bonuses-total-$41-million