Educational Cuts of Fat in State Government

With the Legislature starting later this month on budget cuts we should be looking at real ways to cut educational costs. I make less than $30,000 a year and I have seen large numbers of cuts to staffing in the last six months. Those staff members work directly with students. My college is now forced to replace people at my level in order to keep the college running so now they are reducing starting salaries by $9,000 per employee.

The problem with this is that top administration has not had to face the same type of cuts. I think state legislators should look at capping college vice-presidents and presidents salaries at a reasonable sum. Let see if they could say $85,000 for vice-presidents since that is the salary for both the state treasurer and the state auditor. Second let’s say they cap college presidents at $185,000 for two year colleges and $400,000 for four year colleges. Lastly how about a 5% cut to any administration staff member who earns over $50,000 a year. Think of all the money on salaries and benefits this would save state government when it comes to educational cost.

By the way for those administrators who think this an outrage suggestion, please know that my salary is capped already and that I receive 21 days off mandatory each year without pay in lieu of paid vacation and paid holidays.

If after these types of cut the state still needed to cut my wages by 2% in order to help balance the state budget then I would be willing to accept the reduction without screams of rage after all should we all not be feeling the pain not just the poorly paid educators in this state?