With a main campus Chancellor salary of $267,000, plus an $55,000 additional, along with a car, new house and other benefits, the UW system reinforces an elitist reputation by complaining that the out-going Madison Chancellor's salary is a problem.
What bunk.
And by the way, when did the job morph into a CEO position, propagandizing that the position is defined in private sector terms, with a commensurate salary.
A UW Foundation official is quoted at the end of this piece that he is embarrassed at the low salary.
The rest of us are embarrassed at the distortion in her head.
The position morphed into a CEO position when the Legislature stopped funding UW properly and it had to depend much more on private donations and tuition increases. And I would think you of all people would know this...are you sure Steve Nass didn't hack into your blog?
ReplyDeleteIt's a sad state of affairs but not to increase the chancellor's pay would be akin to shooting oneself in the foot to spite one's leg.
I know the package is worth about 15-30 times the average salary and worth of typical Milwaukee families, and I think the comments and attitude coming out of Madison do indicate a terrible separation between Madison elites and the rest of the state.
ReplyDeleteThe Steve Nass line is pretty funny, but you take too much for granted if you think that only rightwing Republicans who bash the UW system for ideological reasons are the only ones who think the salary and recruiting issue, as defined in at least the Madison media and by insiders, bespeaks a certain unreality.
Dang, finally you wrote something I can agree with. I grew up near the Chancellor's home, and actually delivered newspapers to them when I was a kid. It's a nice home - a very, very nice home. And free!
ReplyDeleteThe Chancellor, in my opinion, is nothing more than a figurehead. The real work of the university is performed by the Deans and Associate Deans.
It's embarrassing to read comments that a quarter of a million dollar salary plus all sorts of nice perks and benefits is "embarrassing." That's why Righties are perpetually irked at such arrrogance.
Nice work if you can get it.
I know in the inside game of academic recruiting and fundraising that there is cachet landing a big fish for these jobs.
ReplyDeleteOften the person stays a few years, then move on to a bigger, better job.
Or it's a retirement job for a local person.
I'm betting that among the current deans or senior faculty there are more than a dozen highly-qualified, and competent people who could do this job really well.
So is the UW interested in results or a touted resume that, in the end, may not raise another nickel or win an extra plaudit for the system?