USU paying U of U Professor.
To the Editor,
With USU students facing an imminent 44% tuition increase, together with mounting school fees, and faculty contentions of sub-standard compensation, I thought students and instructors would be interested in a rather disturbing article I read in the Salt Lake Tribune, on January 28, 2005. The subject of the article is former USU professor and ex-commissioner of higher education, Cecelia Foxley. Foxley who hasn’t taught a class since she left Utah State in 1985, is apparently collecting a six-figure paycheck plus benefits from Utah State University’s payroll, while teaching only a three credit hour course load at the University of Utah. And will continue to do so until December 31, 2007.
I quote from the Article, “Now Foxley is a Regents Professor, a contract that allows her to return to teaching – in this case a three-hour graduate course in the U’s Department of Educational Psychology. She earns $117,600 annually at the U. under a three-year contract, which is sponsored by the Board of Regents.”
“Her check, however, still comes through USU, where Foxley was once a tenured faculty member.”
The article claims this is a “perk” that the Utah higher-education officials offer their top administrators. Some perk! The students at Utah State suffer with paying outrageous tuition increases because the Board of Regents feels the need to pay out a three-year, six-figure perk and bill it to USU. And Dave Buhler, the Regents spokesman, calls this “commonplace.” Makes one wonder what else goes on that Mr. Buhler and others might call commonplace that we’re being asked to pay for.
USU students deserve better from those who direct our tuition and school resources. The professors, teachers, faculty, and department heads should be furious when their teaching and credit hour load, and salary, is compared to that of Foxley. How can this possibly be fair and just? President Albrecht should be investigating and explaining this to the students and staff at Utah State.
Blake Berrett435-787-1360bberrett@cc.usu.edu