Editor,
I don't want to hurt any administrative feelings, because I know the new definition of campus integrity requires that I "demonstrate self-control in difficult situations" and that freedom is now defined as "open-mindedness toward people who hold differing opinions" than I do. I admit I haven't been able to find anything quite like those definitions in any dictionary I looked into, whether English, Spanish or French. But I'm sure they are to be found somewhere. Nonetheless, with all self-control and open-mindedness, I do want to point out that something or a few people are emitting an odor that has nothing to do with the traditional definition of integrity or ethics.
Having already passed out salary increases, deferred compensation bonuses and other perquisites to the upper administration, President David Schmidly announced a freeze on any more giveaways for these people through fiscal year 2009-10. Of course there will be no raises for anyone next year, so something about his magnanimity rings hollow, and it isn't the bell of freedom.
Schmidly somehow didn't know his salary came from state-appropriated Instruction and General funds, but now that he does, he'll fix that. He won't lower his salary, but now he'll take a little from here, a little from there, a bit from I&G, a bit from Health Sciences and, hold on, a bit more from the UNM Foundation. Why would he take money for his salary from the Foundation, money that is raised to support UNM programs and student scholarships? Well, but please excuse me for saying, it could be because the foundation, being a "private organization," does not have to reveal what he is going to be paid from that source. He could have $100,000 or half a million dollars added to his take-home envelope and the public would never know. When the state portion of his salary has been greatly reduced, we should watch for him to generously take a pay cut on the reduced amount. It's better, after all, to give back 10 percent on, say $50,000, than on the nearly $600,000 he currently "earns" in salary, deferments and other burdens of the presidency. Of course, none of this should be discussed openly because the Legislature is in session. And after the session, we won't be able to discuss it because we will be too busy putting together a "very difficult budget" for next year.
And after July 1? Well, there won't be any money for salary increases then, so there will be no need for further discussion. And besides, we'll be too busy putting together next year's plan of smoke and mirrors.
Personally, I am ashamed to have even thought this. None of us want to appear to be whining because that upsets the other
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David (Harris) in Scholes Hall who is himself a world master of whining arrogance. Perhaps the other David would like to take an unpaid furlough in order to take time to prepare his defense in the growing pay-to-play scandal? With each revelation from the federal investigation, it seems something is getting deeper around his ankles.
Then we have Jamie Koch, regent extraordinaire, who is now going to micromanage the University budget. I'd feel a lot better about that if I didn't know this same Koch almost ran the business he works for into bankruptcy because he couldn't even manage a small budget.
A couple of years back when the regents were discussing hiring Schmidly, the Daily Lobo printed a letter from Oklahoma State that warned us about our then soon-to-be president. The letter ended with the line that the day Schmidly left Oklahoma State, there would be dancing in the street. If we all chipped in, perhaps we could hire someone from Oklahoma State to come and teach us how to dance. We'll have to set up an account off campus, however, lest the two Davids decide to "harvest" our excesses to fund their own.
Donald Burge
Zimmerman Library Staff Council president
