Comments on: More On Clemson’s Bureaucratic Boondoggling

By: cutygrs

cutygrs — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 16:04:05 +0000

The high salaries being paid to CU administrators are necessary because those sums are needed to keep that “administrative talent” at Clemson. I’m sure the provost and others cited in this story page through multiple job offers every day, right? CU must keep pace in terms of administrative salaries with numerous other competitors who would snatch away those individuals in a heartbeat, right?
Isn’t this the same lame argument we’ve heard with respect to why it’s necessary to pay CEOs of failed banks huge bonuses, i.e., if they weren’t paid, they would go elsewhere, right?
To quote from Animal Farm, “All the animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others.”
If you haven’t read this book, you should.

By: CUALUM01

CUALUM01 — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 15:02:36 +0000

Along with the millions of dollars wasted on administrators salaries, Clemson has wasted millions on gaming its US NEWS ranking. What’s sad is few care about this ranking any more. The participation rate of presidents and provosts has dropped below 50%. So why does Clemson continue to waste millions of dollars on a ranking with no reliability and little validity? Becuase President Barker made it a goal and he will not use any other bench mark but US NEWS (the only academic ranking where they score well). So millions is spent marketing the school, and admitting students (many from out-of-state) with high SAT scores (counts in US News rank) and in the top 10% (counts in US News rank) of their class are awareded scholarships, have tuition waived and get free study abroad trips if they enroll. With these students enrolled it is no surprise that graduation rates improve (counts in US News rank). Since US News does not verify any of the data submitted it is easy to fudge (and Clemson does) on the number of classes with fewer than 20 students (counts in rankings), classes with more than 50 students (counts in ranking) and faculty salaries (counts in ranking). One would think US News would do some investigating when a university jumps more than one spot in two consective years. But when this publication makes so much money you would not want the public to consider that some universities just might cheat. What’s sad is there are a lot of SC citizens, students and faculty who care about what is happening at this University, but no one in authority–the Governor, Legislature or Board of Trustees is stepping up to do something about the mess at Clemson University. A few brave souls speak out. If they work at Clemson they take a huge risk in doing so. I admire them.

By: Leon the Peon

Leon the Peon — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 13:14:29 +0000

As long as students keep driving BMW’s and high end SUV’s and living in these million dollar condo’s with their own private shuttle buses, I don’t see how anybody can complain about tuition going up. If they can afford to send their kids to school and live the life of Riley while there, they can afford tuition. You realize that if they stay off campus in a condo or apartment with a mailing address that they are considered in-state then. So then they get a break on tuition.

By: PLZRU4REAL

PLZRU4REAL — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 12:36:33 +0000

While we’re looking at Administrative salaries, let’s not forget each college has a business office who might have had their hands in the pot as well. Can we get their salary increases between 2004 & 2008?

By: It Never Changes

It Never Changes — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 09:12:50 +0000

They did it because they could. Has anyone tried to stop them? Does anyone care? I worked there for two years before leaving the state, and the corruption and unfair treatment was just as rampant then as it is now, yet no one seemed to know what to do. And no one wanted to complain, because the the next step would have been the unemployment line. How many times have Clemson staffers heard the line, “Just be glad you have a job.” Like in politics, it’s the name game. Get in with the “right” group and your way has been paved, but if you count on hard work and honesty to get you ahead, you’re better off staying at home. And no, Clemson isn’t the only institution with this problem – at my current institution we recently found out that there will be no raises for staff in FY10, yet they’re still hiring new people with outrageous salaries. And no one is saying a word.

By: Peterbog

Peterbog — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 07:41:20 +0000

1. Typically salaries in public higher education correlate to the size of the institution. Ie. How much enrollment and how much research! Clemson is either the smallest or next to smallest State Land Grant College in the US. Institutions such as Clemson typically are administrative stepping stones to similar positions at larger more complex Universities. To have salaries at 104% of peer salaries is ridiculous.

2. Since Barker came into his position virtually every top level administrative position has been internally filled by a Clemson person with no adminstrative experiece at any other major research institutions.

3. The only innovative thing Clemson has done since Barker came in is to develop a “Spin” group known as Institutional Advancement to spin a Top 20 story, obfuscate the fact to the public and trustees, and spin the justification for huge tuition increases.

4. Historically Institutional Advancement was primarily responsible for generating funds for the Foundation. Oh… Why are these individuals that generate funds for an independent Foundation STATE EMPLOYEES?

5. It is a fact the undergraduate student tuition and fees are supporting Research, Public Service Activities, and off-campus developments such as ICAR and the Restoration Institute.

6. Per the Commission on Higher Educations study of location of employment of students graduating from South Carolina Institutions, nearly 50% of the Clemson graduates work out of this state. (Seems state funding should be indexed to in-state employment of graduates….as well state scholarhsip dollars should be repaid if the graduate leaves the state.)

7. The issue is even worse for graduate students, where a huge percentage of graduate students at Clemson receive a special tuition rate and then very few are able or willing to find employment in SC. (It would be an interesting study to analyze where the Engineering PhD recipients from Clemson are finding employment. The PhD programs are high cost, and it appears most of these students are foreign and return to their countries to compete with the US….yet Clemson facilitates and encourages the subsidization of this education!

Strayed a bit…. but there are many things that should be independently examined at this State Supported Institution!

By: Red Bank Bar

Red Bank Bar — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 21:45:04 +0000

Flipper boy is so cute. His life revolves around “ratings” figures from a rightwing magazine. Only Clempson thinks it matters. That’s fine, as long as they won’t bother the rest of us with their whacked out Christian nutcase econ professors.

By: Cow College Alum 85

Cow College Alum 85 — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 20:36:43 +0000

Well Palmetto Native sorry to say that USC’s out of state enrollment is up there with Clemson’s as well – closer to 30% I think last check showed so you can’t crow about that. Both schools should be required to revisit their enrollment policies to really benefit the people of South Carolina.
Clemson Alum but USC Parent!!

By: 'Nite Nurse

'Nite Nurse — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 14:38:24 +0000

The only F I ever made in my LIFE is housed in those bad old computers at USC — just because I didn’t drop the course in time. It worked out fine in the end, because some people aren’t cut out to be nurses, anyway.

I will lift the Chicken curse when they lift the F.

Like it never even happened.

By: Palmetto_Native

Palmetto_Native — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 13:50:44 +0000

We all know that its hyperbole to say that South Carolina parents are anguished over this because of the massive tuition increases…

There cant be but a handful of SC students left that even go to Clemson any more.

Its easy to be a top 20 school when you stop recruiting students that come from the state you are supposed to serve…

THATS why USC is “only” 51st…because they still attempt to provide a quality education…FOR SOUTH CAROLINIANS…………

also..the reason why you are getting anonymous inside information, is because the professors that are doing all the public complaining also happen to be making high salaries…many of them also in the 6 figures. Guess those pigs are afraid that in their zeal to have a pig pickin they may find themselves the main course.