Front page, above the fold, story in this weekend’s Caledonian Record. UVM Chancellor Jeb Spaulding called for closing the Lyndon campus (and some other places too) Needless to say the caused a hue and cry from alumni, students, and local business people. All duly reported on in the Record.
As a New Hampshire resident, the doings over the border in Vermont are only of academic interest. But they did publish some figures on NVU employment that makes me wonder. NVU Lyndon has nearly 1000 students. It also has 700 employees. That’s a pretty plump student faculty ratio. Only 43 employees are full time faculty. I have to wonder what the other 657 employees do, other than draw their pay. And, they pay their faculty peanuts. Assistant professors only make $50,518. A full professor makes $66,000. Electrical engineering pays a lot better than that.
Far as I am concerned, a student faculty ratio of 20 is about right. That would be 50 professors. Nobody else on the payroll. The students mow the grass, shovel the snow, sweep the halls, wash the dishes, and do all the janitorial chores. We did this at my old high school; it only took an hour a day of student time. No paper pushers or administrators at all. Faculty does necessary paperwork, mostly grading papers and writing report cards. Unnecessary paperwork (most of it) just goes into file 13.
Let’s see, 50 faculty at $66,000 each a year is $3.3 million. 1000 students paying $ 11,250 tuition is $11.25 million. You would think that they could make ends meet. Maybe even afford a couple of maintenance guys to fix stuff.
1 comment:
Today Art McGrath reports that the University of Vermont people have relented and the Lyndon campus will not be closed. Perhaps the hue a cry was effective.
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