Simon poses possibility of staff layoffs, tuition hikes

“If there has to be a tuition increase, it’s not going to be because of action this board is taking,” he said. “It’s going to be because the action the state is taking by not giving us the funds that they’re supposed to give us to augment our budget.”

We haven’t even done it yet, but if we do, it’s not our fault!

That retreat the board had on Mackinaw island could have saved at least one employee from losing their job.

The truth is that is not the administration’s fault. Obviously, there are things that can be improved from the administration stand point but not that can be done in such a short period of time. Adjustments that involve decreasing a budget by this much involve years of adaptation for an academic institution. This is not like a private company were you can layoff employees, pay them and you will never see them again.

Part of what it comes down to is health care costs. I was discussing the issue with a professor (policy and economics) and he was saying that within the next 10 years or so the health care costs the University will have to pay out to employees and retirees will consume a large chunk of the budget (I believe over 50%). I want to say that I absolutely do NOT support nationalizing health care because then you’ll end up in the same situation just at the Federal level but there does need to be some sort of an exploration on the costs of health care.

Well thank God I only have one more year left…. Tuition up 9%?? That is crazy!

Your point about healthcare is an important one, Healthcare. Nationalizing our health care would not only provide more dependable care for millions of currently uninsured people (mostly the working poor), but it will help stabilize employee health care costs that are crippling American businesses (such as MSU).

I know, how about we get a new President. I’m sure MANY people are qualified and willing to take her position for a QUARTER of what she is getting paid. What she gets paid for her comfortable job is crazy, do you know how many jobs can be saved if her salary was even cut in HALF? Our doctors should be getting paid that much instead of paying someone to sit behind a desk and perform tasks that so many others are qualified for. 1st Michigan has the #1 unemployment percentage, now we’re going to have the highest percent of college drop-outs because we can’t afford to stay here.

Student, are you serious, “the salaries of professors and researchers…shouldn’t be affected”? What economic planet are you from? A university-wide salary freeze should be one of the first things ON the table. Everyone needs to share the pain and none can be exempt.

Dear student, you are just that. A student that has limited world insight. This is ALL the administrations and Simons fault. She has been flagrant about expenses and poor businesswomen. She approves salary increases and unions contracts. THE FACT IS: The ONLY group she has targeted is the Students.

^a 9% annual increase over 10 years amounts to 136% increase overall, for example from 10,000 to 23,600.

10000(1.09)^10

“Outraged Parents” is right. Come out into the real world (both students and Administration!) and see that first and foremost the Administration needs to cut the Union/Professor/teaching staff costs. Where in the world were you ever guaranteed a life of care by your employer? Life is not fair. Get used to it. You are not entitled. This I say to the University. You are there to teach and educate, not to make a personal profit off these kids’ educations.

Enraged Parents
I’m glad to hear that you’re aware of the excessive raises I’ve recieved over the past few years. Just to keep you in the loop, the last few years, my raises have amounted to a new free wheeling lifestyle that I just can’t live without. I mean , heck it’s allowed me to fill up my auto with an extra tank of gas/month, maybe an extra dinner out/month, some extra school activities for my child/month, oh, and don’t forget the few extra gallons of milk I was able to buy.
The unions are so powerful that, not unlike the state employees union, will soon be be negotiating with university as to what level my health care coverage will drop or increase in cost to me.

Outraged Parents: You’re so right, MSU’s incredibly powerful unions are the driving factor in raising education costs. Don’t tell me, your other solution to society’s ills is tax cuts for the rich.

What a joke, please feel free to immediately pull your kids from MSU and send them to one of the many public universities that are lowering their costs … if you can find one.

This is happening everywhere … open your eyes!

From Bill Moyers: Crunching College Costs, January 30, 2009

Due to the faltering economy, colleges and students are in real trouble.

Ok, “Staff”. Tell us…what level are you? A Professor? An Associate? Or are you part of the suffering actual staff? I’ll give you costs and inflation for an actual staff position. But then tell me, how do you manage your budget at home? Do you turn around and make cuts? Obviously you do since you talk of a tank of gas extra a month or dinner out. You make the cuts that need to be made before you drop your job of which is providing the income…as below the climbing costs out there…you don’t just quit your job.

I am pleased to see the debut, but the sad fact remains. At some point in time everyone must take sacrifices and those that are being sacrificed are the STUDENTS. Not MSU faculity.

It’s easier to raise rates when there is no opposition.

It’s time to stop automatic tuition increases and TIME to look within each department, each employee and line item on the budget.

Sadly, the liberal minded educators do taint these “kids” vision. Life experiences will improve their vision, but…unfortunately that will take years and at this handling of the economic problem solving in colleges…the “kids” will be the ones to pay now and in the future.

Increase in tuition -> decrease in # of International and Out-of-state students -> decrease in funding -> Increase in tuition
The cycle goes on