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Southwestern College Votes for Pay Increases and Campaign Donation Cap
It is unconscionable that the district would think it reasonable to spend more money on administration when state and local government budgets are in such dire peril. Seems like business as usual for a district that's already under the microscope due to allegations of corruption and possibly fraudulent financial mismanagement. This following years of criticism of a past administration that nearly ran the college into the ground, ie lost college accreditation, yet still received regular pay raises and unnecessary perks. How is it that the district finds it justifiable to decide pay cuts for those actually teaching classes, yet administrators need pay raises? The rationale is that higher pay will draw better qualified candidates. So by trying to cut the salaries of those who directly educate our students, is the college saying that investment in luring and retaining quality teachers is not as big a priority? Is it simply that they have given up the idea that they can't find ethical or effective vice-presidents and hope that throwing money at them will somehow make them less likely run amok? Just as the college seems to be digging itself out of a public relations nightmare, they float an idea that puts them right back where they started. Here's an idea, go ahead and pay VP's more, but do so by eliminating the positions that aren't needed. Or better yet, here's a novel notion: if you have enough funds to be considering pay raises, try investing it directly back to the education of students. You know, silly things like more classes or summer classes seem to serve students better than a raise for already generously compensated administrators.— March 17, 2012 4:20 p.m.