President Winograd is thrilled that she managed to get a $15,000 raise while she is firmly refusing to give a meaningful raise to employees who are facing difficult times due to rising prices for food, energy and gas.Board members repeatedly explain to staff members that they don’t have the money to give low income staff members paid holidays and paid annual leave but are managing to add to the president’s large salary and add middle management positions that pay anywhere for $35,000 to $100,000 a year. Staff members are required to take 21 days off each year without pay. Just another example of how dedicated this two year college is to showing any real respect to the people who work with student’s everyday of the week.
The president of the college is working hard to get money from the state government to add new buildings and lower the cost to students but has failed to work for the very life blood of the college. It would appear that Ms. Winograd has forgotten that small apartment that she grew up in back east. The Journal would have people think that she is doing a great job for the first six months but tell that to the people who will see at best a $500 raise in pay this year when food cost is up 8.5%, heating this winter is up 30% and gas is up to over $4 per gallon. Ms. Winograd may wish for an increase in enrollment and retention but she clearly does not care about the people who are working hard everyday with the students to deliver those goals for the college.
How can anyone who leads a public college that has been dedicated in the past to helping people increase their hourly wages brag about such a large rise in salary in such a public manner while hard working families are faced with real and difficult decisions about basic needs right now in the here and present? How can board members face these same staff members and their families in the future and honestly ask for their vote in February of 2009?
