An LSU Professors’ Union Will Be A Disaster
Last night WBRZ-TV in Baton Rouge reported something rather significant – namely that a group of LSU professors are starting up a union in response to looming budget cuts at the university. We’re told that such a union will be affiliated with either SEIU or AAUP (American Association of University Professors), and that right now it’s a minority of LSU’s faculty who are interested in this project. But that minority includes several members of the LSU faculty senate, and in two weeks they’re going to begin “organizing” – which anyone has seen how that process works can tell you will be a big mess.
“When instructors get notices of firing basically, there’s an increase in pressure to want to consolidate, group together and figure out a way to handle the issue,” said food science professor and faculty senate committee member Paul Wilson.
“We’re looking for a way to increase faculty leverage as we attempt to save this institution, save the state,” said faculty senate president Kevin Cope, “and with that, ask the state to be honest in its dealings with its most trained personnel.”
However, professors said at this point, it seems the only way for them to defend themselves is to pull together.
“We need to have somebody represent the faculty that can go there and say, ‘Hey, listen, this is their story, this is our story,’” said Wilson. “We’ve gotta keep things on common ground so we can come to some sort of agreement.”
Let’s explain why this is such a stupid idea. It’s actually quite simple.
First, as of right now there are lots of people out there who are responding to reports of massive cuts coming to higher education (which as Jeff Sadow notes is facing a major trimming due to a failed state fiscal structure) by saying “I sure hope they can find a way to keep LSU somewhat whole; it would be a shame for LSU to have to give back all the progress it’s made over the last few years.”
Most of those people are not troubled by the idea that state government ought to be cut. Most of the people in Louisiana are appalled at the size of Louisiana’s government, have been appalled at its size for a long time and aren’t particularly happy about the fact that state legislators and the governor can’t seem to bring themselves to make major changes to how things are done.
But LSU is an interest group with a large following in Louisiana. LSU is a major part of the state’s culture, as will be in evidence on Saturday when well over 100,000 people descend on the campus to tailgate for the first home football game. Lots of people who didn’t go to LSU still take tremendous pride in the exploits emanating from the university.
LSU isn’t much thought of with respect to its component parts, though. People who want to “save LSU” don’t generally think of saving tenured professors’ salaries. And people who want to “save LSU” usually stop a bit short – particularly in a rough economy – at the idea of paying higher taxes to support those salaries.
So when the professors at LSU start talking about unionizing, and when SEIU’s name starts being thrown around, and when talks of a walkout begin amid a continuing rough economy and increasing taxes on the federal level, the support among the public for “saving LSU” is going to drop like a stone.
Besides, Louisiana is a Right-To-Work state. A professors’ union isn’t likely to gain much traction anyway.
This has the feel of a bunch of left-wing academics looking to the national scene, seeing the higher profile of unions in the Age of Obama and figuring this is a good time to get in on the action. But if they go through with this plan, every state legislator with a Nicholls State, Grambling or UL-Monroe in his or her district is going to have ammunition to refuse funding for those spoiled union goons at the flagship school.
Next week the Pelican Institute is hosting events around the state that will highlight organized labor's threat to economic prosperity. The events are free, follow the link for details on how to RSVP: http://www.pelicaninstitute.org/main/event.php?ev…
Next week the Pelican Institute is hosting events around the state that will highlight organized labor's threat to economic prosperity. The events are free, follow the link for details on how to RSVP: http://www.pelicaninstitute.org/main/event.php?ev…
The solution is simple – but most people don't get it – let the universities charge higher tuition. The idea of cutting a university's budget while the state (through the Board of Regents) dictates admission standards, rules for minority scholarships, etc.. puts universities in a bind where they can't meet their academic goals. Why do Louisiana politicians always want to stick their hand in and tell universities what they can charge???? Other states don't have these rules. It's just more control and power to self-serving legislators.
Let the universities decide their fate. If they charge too much then enrollment will drop and so will their income. If
The solution is simple – but most people don't get it – let the universities charge higher tuition. The idea of cutting a university's budget while the state (through the Board of Regents) dictates admission standards, rules for minority scholarships, etc.. puts universities in a bind where they can't meet their academic goals. Why do Louisiana politicians always want to stick their hand in and tell universities what they can charge???? Other states don't have these rules. It's just more control and power to self-serving legislators.
Let the universities decide their fate. If they charge too much then enrollment will drop and so will their income. If
This move yet again reminds us that LSU is not about the students, but instead about protecting teachers. If they were to be able to accomplish unionizing the faculty, the costs would be passed onto the students with NO benefits for them. They will pay for the leverage of the faculty to continue to act contrary to the interests of the students (consumers) of the university (business).
This move yet again reminds us that LSU is not about the students, but instead about protecting teachers. If they were to be able to accomplish unionizing the faculty, the costs would be passed onto the students with NO benefits for them. They will pay for the leverage of the faculty to continue to act contrary to the interests of the students (consumers) of the university (business).
Just what LA higher education needs, another reason to turn public opinion against it, after the debacle at UNO: http://jeffsadow.blogspot.com/2010/09/protests-re…
Just what LA higher education needs, another reason to turn public opinion against it, after the debacle at UNO: http://jeffsadow.blogspot.com/2010/09/protests-re…
Anyone that pays union dues in a "Right-to-Work" state is an idiot.
Anyone that pays union dues in a "Right-to-Work" state is an idiot.
A union is not always about salaries – sometimes it can be about saving taxpayer money. You are aware that on the same piece of property that you call LSU Baton Rouge, there are really three campuses-LSU Baton Rouge, LSU Agcenter, and LSU Law Center. This is as if you picked up LSU Alexandria and LSU Monroe and dropped them on top of the same spot as LSU Baton Rouge. Faculty did not do this, students did not do this, politicians did this to build a kingdom for the Board of Supervisors. Why is this important? Because each of these "overlapping" campuses has its own chancellor, a host of vice chancellors, multiple directors, maybe a provost with vps, IT staffs, HRM staffs, accounting services – all within a block of each other – heaven forbid that Agcenter and the Law Center use the services of the IT staff in Frey or accounting in Boyd – no – they each want to hire their own staffs (sometimes with friends and relatives) and build their own kingdoms. That is where your money is going – not to faculty salaries. At one time there was a single LSU campus with colleges, including agriculture and law, then someone decided that law was special and should be its own campus. Next someone thought agriculture was special and created the Agcenter even though we still have a separate agriculture college. It is insanity to have set it up this way since it is a complete waste of taxpayer money – let's just throw it away with both hands. Although I am faculty, I am also a taxpayer who resents such ridiculous expenditures. What is it worth to taxpayers — 3-4 faculty teaching and doing research or an extra vice chancellor sitting in Boyd Hall, Efferson Hall, or Hebert – it costs the same. I do not make anywhere near to what these folks make. I don't have secretaries, staff, a housing allowance, a state provided I-phone, a public vehicle (or special allowance), or an entertainment allowance. I use my own cell phone, my own long distance service, drive my own car, buy my own gas and insurance, pay my own house and car notes out of my salary (not with a special "extra" supplement). Sometimes I must buy supplies for my classes with my own money just as the grade school and high school teachers have been doing for years. With the recent death of Mr. Dent, the most important function of this union may be to let taxpayers really know what is going on in higher education – where the money is really being spent – say to a chancellor's son hired as a professor or another chancellor's wife hired as a technician . Right now the only people that legislators, board of supervisors and the press talk to is the chancellors and administrators. Does anyone really believe that these administrators will tell the truth about what is going on? Why should they – life is good? Maybe a union representative will be able shed some light.
You're going to have a difficult time convincing the public that it requires a union to blow the whistle on duplicative administration practices at LSU. While that might well be the case – I have absolutely no reason to doubt that there are too many rice bowls within the university's administration – few will believe that unionizing the university's faculty will provide a service to the taxpayers. Public employee unions do not and never have served that function, and you'll likely be laughed out of school, if you will, for presenting that as a justification of this move.
A union is not always about salaries – sometimes it can be about saving taxpayer money. You are aware that on the same piece of property that you call LSU Baton Rouge, there are really three campuses-LSU Baton Rouge, LSU Agcenter, and LSU Law Center. This is as if you picked up LSU Alexandria and LSU Monroe and dropped them on top of the same spot as LSU Baton Rouge. Faculty did not do this, students did not do this, politicians did this to build a kingdom for the Board of Supervisors. Why is this important? Because each of these "overlapping" campuses has its own chancellor, a host of vice chancellors, multiple directors, maybe a provost with vps, IT staffs, HRM staffs, accounting services – all within a block of each other – heaven forbid that Agcenter and the Law Center use the services of the IT staff in Frey or accounting in Boyd – no – they each want to hire their own staffs (sometimes with friends and relatives) and build their own kingdoms. That is where your money is going – not to faculty salaries. At one time there was a single LSU campus with colleges, including agriculture and law, then someone decided that law was special and should be its own campus. Next someone thought agriculture was special and created the Agcenter even though we still have a separate agriculture college. It is insanity to have set it up this way since it is a complete waste of taxpayer money – let's just throw it away with both hands. Although I am faculty, I am also a taxpayer who resents such ridiculous expenditures. What is it worth to taxpayers — 3-4 faculty teaching and doing research or an extra vice chancellor sitting in Boyd Hall, Efferson Hall, or Hebert – it costs the same. I do not make anywhere near to what these folks make. I don't have secretaries, staff, a housing allowance, a state provided I-phone, a public vehicle (or special allowance), or an entertainment allowance. I use my own cell phone, my own long distance service, drive my own car, buy my own gas and insurance, pay my own house and car notes out of my salary (not with a special "extra" supplement). Sometimes I must buy supplies for my classes with my own money just as the grade school and high school teachers have been doing for years. With the recent death of Mr. Dent, the most important function of this union may be to let taxpayers really know what is going on in higher education – where the money is really being spent – say to a chancellor's son hired as a professor or another chancellor's wife hired as a technician . Right now the only people that legislators, board of supervisors and the press talk to is the chancellors and administrators. Does anyone really believe that these administrators will tell the truth about what is going on? Why should they – life is good? Maybe a union representative will be able shed some light.
You're going to have a difficult time convincing the public that it requires a union to blow the whistle on duplicative administration practices at LSU. While that might well be the case – I have absolutely no reason to doubt that there are too many rice bowls within the university's administration – few will believe that unionizing the university's faculty will provide a service to the taxpayers. Public employee unions do not and never have served that function, and you'll likely be laughed out of school, if you will, for presenting that as a justification of this move.
This is a well-written and informative post about a serious situation. I wish we could find an acceptable solution to the problem.
This is a well-written and informative post about a serious situation. I wish we could find an acceptable solution to the problem.
I agree with faculty's post. Check out the Goldwater Institute's report on "Administrative Bloat at American Universities" (http://www.goldwaterinstitute.org/article/4941). This is not a left or right issue but one that addresses the increasing power of the administration on campuses. Even conservative professors in colleges of business talk about unionizing to confront administrators and the various boards filled with political appointees, some of whom earn ridiculously high salaries. It's not faculty wasting money, but administrators who added numerous non-faculty positions with little regard for financial efficiency or taxpayer money. University presidents and vice presidents are handsomely paid and often rule campuses like feudal lords. VP’s and Deans at some schools have as many as four or five secretaries. Faculties didn't decide to spend millions on new buildings and other frills most students aren't concerned with. Students generally want good teachers, small classes, and opportunities to take classes at appropriate times so they can get to work to help pay for a college education that's becoming increasingly expensive. However, as a response to budget cuts, universities have been shedding faculty instead of removing those most responsible for wasting taxpayer money. Students are the ones really getting screwed.
I agree with faculty's post. Check out the Goldwater Institute's report on "Administrative Bloat at American Universities" (http://www.goldwaterinstitute.org/article/4941). This is not a left or right issue but one that addresses the increasing power of the administration on campuses. Even conservative professors in colleges of business talk about unionizing to confront administrators and the various boards filled with political appointees, some of whom earn ridiculously high salaries. It's not faculty wasting money, but administrators who added numerous non-faculty positions with little regard for financial efficiency or taxpayer money. University presidents and vice presidents are handsomely paid and often rule campuses like feudal lords. VP’s and Deans at some schools have as many as four or five secretaries. Faculties didn't decide to spend millions on new buildings and other frills most students aren't concerned with. Students generally want good teachers, small classes, and opportunities to take classes at appropriate times so they can get to work to help pay for a college education that's becoming increasingly expensive. However, as a response to budget cuts, universities have been shedding faculty instead of removing those most responsible for wasting taxpayer money. Students are the ones really getting screwed.