Rumored salary for Schmidt draws ire of faculty

[mcspin]

towniegrad said:

It really comes down to Franiscan values.. Should the school follow the rest of the culture in glorifying sports at the expense of other values or not?

Only if it desires to survive at a high level.

Should the schools' limited resources be spent on academics and student needs or on sport/entertainment/pr? Should the school use its resources to attempt to compete athletically with much larger wealthier schools?

Of course it shouldn't use all it's resources for sports, but it must allocate a good share if it's wants to be competitive in getting new students.

What price for a basketball coach would be excessive?

The price that exceeds the value of increased alumni donations, good will, higher enrollment, increased ticket sales and higher name recognition. Be sure of one thing, no school pays it's coach more than what they think his value is. They all believe they are getting more in return.

Simply paying an existing professor more, is not going to bring in any significant income to the university. Maybe they could justify a small increase if they could somehow bring in professors with higher credentials, but I doubt most students going to SBU know squat about any professor. I also doubt most alumni donate based on current professors. Professors would get paid more if it was based on the value of their services, rather than tenure or years on staff.

[bonarealist]

It's not about paying someone more, mcspin, to then bring in more money. It's about paying profs their fare share as the academic backbone of a university. If we follow your logic, then profs and staff should NEVER get a raise because they will never bring in income, in your view. I would argue that the greatest strength of SBU is the cadre of professors, who, for the most part, are a caring bunch that want students to succeed, devote one-on-one attention and love SBU, hence why they stay.

A basketball coach will never influence the careers of students (excluding basketball players, of course); professors will. Where's the equity?

[sburizz]

Ok this thread has gone on long enough. Can we all agree that the professors need to and deserve to be paid more but this can only happen with increased enrollment and endowment? The best way to think of Coach Schmidt's salary is that the university is giving $300,000 to promote themselves and try to increase enrollment hopefully in a few years our enrollment will grow and enable the admin to pay professors a better salary.

[bonarealist]

"...the university is giving $300,000 to promote themselves and try to increase enrollment hopefully in a few years our enrollment will grow and enable the admin to pay professors a better salary."

But wasn't JVBK supposed to do that, too? Look at the mess -- financial and program -- that he caused us.

It's tough to connect basketball and enrollment -- we've had this discussion before. One does not necessarily follow the other. Strong academics and student life help enrollment, too.

My point is not that Coach Schmidt shouldn't make what he's making -- what's done is done and that's the market. Most people understand that. What's troubling is this newfound money that didn't go to professors who deserve it just as much. When do they get their fair share? They hold SBU together.

[presstowin]

What is your solution for the professors?

[bonarealist]

Somehow dig into our miraculous pit of money and pay them. That's up to the admin to find a way, but since they found a way for a basketball coach (an increase from $167K to $300K), then they need to be fair and find a way for the faculty. Apparently, SBU has money stashed away.

[presstowin]

I agree. Bona has had a history of not granting increases very often. Adjunct faculty haven't had an increase in more than 5 years. It is a good thing those people are dedicated. They really help the student teachers out in the ed dept.

[az63]

bonarealist,

You make it sound as if the contract has to be paid up-front.

It's a seven year investment which SBU hopes will be paid from putting add'l fans in seats, add'l concession and apparel sales, plus better non-conference games, appearances in A-10, NIT, NCAA tourneys during the 7 years.

If the numbers, $167,000 vs $300,000, are accurate, than SBU is paying Schmidt $2600/week more than Sol. That doesn't sound like a "miraculous pit" of money needed to be found.

Some professors will always find something to complain about. These are the same people who voted against displaying the American flag in SBU classrooms!!!

[jh]

"It's tough to connect basketball and enrollment -- we've had this discussion before. One does not necessarily follow the other."

Bonarealist if you believe this then I understand how you never understand the point...also I hope you are never working anywhere near the overall strategic plan to increase applications into SBU.
You seem very well intentioned...but might bury the school at the same time.

[maplehurst]

Remember that some profs voted to display the flag. The vote was certainly not unanimously against. It could be worse. At Fordham the faculty voted against putting the crucifix back into the classrooms, so as not to offend non-catholics.

[az63]

That's fairly typical with the Jesuits. Georgetown provides separate dorm areas for Muslims.

[bonarealist]

jh: so you think basketball is the golden egg that will solve all of SBU's enrollment issues? Is jh the same person as Wickenhesier?

Of course, I think basketball is a key piece of the puzzle. Duh. What I'm voicing is that for years, faculty have been screwed over because of the cry that SBU is poor. Then, through a miracle, $133,000 more per year is found for a basketball coach -- and that's the market and that's fine. But when do the faculty (and staff) get their fair share? They teach, they tend to the academic mission of SBU -- which is the whole point of SBU -- not basketball. SBU does not exist for our entertainment purposes. It exists to teach students so they can be successful in life. Where's the substantial academic investment in SBU? The science building is a great first start, but now that the bricks and mortar are going up, the programs themselves need to be invested in heavily to attract top science students from across the region. The top science students will want to enroll in SBU because of academics first and then maybe basketball or other reasons.

The flag issue has nothing to do with anything, but thanks for the thought, az.

[az63]

realist,

we'll give you the last word - it seems you need to have it.

[dev56]

Just a rambling rant on the topic that seems to ruffled some feathers.

It is interesting to look at the Franciscan Values listed on the university website, investigation and wonder, knowledge and love, reflection and wisdom, and lastly understanding and humility.

While it is unfortunate that according to the faculty some have not received raises or raises are not keeping up with inflation welcome to upstate New York. I know of numerous companies that have not given raises in quite a long time in order to save jobs. Others have let workers go. So I guess you could argue that since the faculty have kept there jobs even though revenues are down and they are teaching less students they are lucky to have jobs.

I’m still not sure which value pay comes under?

Of course the Faculty Senate will voice their disapproval of the new coaches salary from reports in the newspaper and then admit they may have it wrong. So we know that the Faculty Senate is unhappy. Do they know if someone is donating the money for the difference in the salary? The school and the athletic department run separate fundraising. No they don’t know. So the high and mighty faculty will pass a resolution without all the information. A lot of people know what their boss would think of taking action without all the information. I’d say a fine example set by the Faculty Senate for students – if your upset about something go out and get some information and base your decision on that. Does not matter if the information is correct or you have all of it.

It may be true that some are on Food Stamps but what positions are they filling? The number of family members impacts this I believe and a family of four would reach poverty guidelines below an annual salary of about $27,500. That may not be too difficult to reach performing menial labor which needs to get done. Scary reality. I’m sure that the faculty will be passing the resolution soon so that their salary will go to bring those on foods stamps out of that situation.

As for faculty I’m sure that since they brought up the Franciscan values they are all living them to their fullest while on campus and in their personal lives. Hate to break it to some of you but it only happens when convenient to them.

Realist, hate to break this to you but top science students are not attending SBU. I’m not sure where you get your information from but it is not happening. As a matter of fact, in the 12 or so recruiting fairs I’ve done not once was I asked by anyone how great are the faculty/teachers? Most were concerned about getting a job after four years, what there was to do on campus, placement, alumni network, what they could do with a particular major, what are the living conditions and how is the food. I never once heard wow Prof. X is doing outstanding research in blatz. Sure would love to take a class with him or her. Probably because SBU is not a publishing or research type university which attracts a different type professor. It is not as if there are profs popping up in major academic publications.

Faculty need to understand the morale value of a basketball team to students and alumni who make donations. Alumni like to brag and a winning basketball team gets more press than a top department. Fair? Probably not. But reality is reality and that is what we need to deal in, reality not theory.

I’ll finish by saying the faculty are lucky and not getting screwed. Lets see, student numbers down. Less revenue, but also less work for faculty because they are teaching less students and correcting less papers for example. No layoffs as with other industries when revenues are down. And one could argue that they received raises by teaching less students and doing less work because they kept the same baseline salary.

[bringbacklanier]

What does the average tenured professor pull in a year?