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Trouble in paradise?
In today's Chronicle of Higher Education, the spotlight is on a battle involving faculty contracts at the University of Hawaii. Like many other state governments at this time, Hawaii is dealing with a major budget shortfall and has had to rein in spending in a number of sectors, including higher education. In response, the University of Hawaii has been taking a scalpel to its own budget, and among its incisions is a temporary 6.7 percent pay cut for faculty. Naturally, this has the faculty union up in arms, and they are prepared to fight this pay cut in court if necessary.
While a pay cut, even a temporary one, is certainly not welcome news, it must be viewed in the context not just of Hawaii's budget difficulties, but also of our national economy. Contract issues notwithstanding, this pay cut is a weak measure compared to the scores of layoffs sustained in other industries (not to mention being comparable to what the university administration has already done for itself). It is also one part of the collective wake-up call many colleges and universities are receiving after spending too freely during the good years.
Posted by Sandra Diaz on January 11, 2010 at January 11, 2010 05:21 PM
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