Opinions

Our View-‘Bad tenant’ Reed destroying university property

The Cal State University system was developed as a way to give opportunity to all those who seek a higher education. In the midst of a financial crisis and across-the-board slashes to higher education, Chancellor Charles Reed decided it best to take money from the CSUs to reward administrators.

The same day he told people in front of his office that he feels their pain, he authorized giving nine vice presidents up to 19 percent pay raises. In addition, he endorsed a 10 percent raise to an interim vice chancellor and rubberstamped hiring 11 new campus vice presidents. The increases for existing vice presidents range from $1,548 to $22,500 a year, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.

We can think of many ways that money could better serve the soul of the CSU system — the students.

This money should go toward better serving students by providing more professors and class selections. It is hard to swallow fee increases and enrollment caps while the chancellor is doling out administrative salary hikes.

We’ve been down this path before. Amid the protracted California Faculty Association contract negotiations two years ago, Chuckie’s largesse was shared with university presidents in the form of 9-14 percent pay raises; all while students were being jabbed with fee increases.

Reed even had the gall to give himself a raise of nearly $50,000 per year, from $377,000 to $421,500. After all, a guy’s gotta eat, right?

When asked if the board of trustees would consider administrative salary or hiring freezes, chair Jeffrey Bleich said that was the last resort, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. Apparently, hurting students and employees is the first resort.

The 450,000-enrollment cap will heavily affect minority and low-income students. In addition to the cap, admissions standards will tighten and deadlines will shorten, further strangling the hopes of students wanting a university education.

Rather than standing up for the system, Chuckie Greed has opted to mimic thieving corporate executives; the CEOs of American International Group and General Motors, for instance.

AIG begged Congress to save their asses in the bailout, then held a congratulatory $450,000 soiree at a luxury resort. GM’s execs flew private jets to Washington and stayed in lavish hotel suites, while groveling for the feds to save their bacon.

Similarly, Reed’s executive pay raises compare to corporate malfeasance. Pat Gantt, the president of the CSU Employees Union nailed Reed’s actions precisely in the S.F. Chronicle. “It’s like the executives at Enron taking bonuses while the company goes down….”

It’s time to insist on accountability, people. It’s time to end Reed’s pagan campaign of offering students and employees as sacrificial lambs to his master, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

There is no justification for his decision to reward administrators and simultaneously rob the system.

Education is critical for a functioning society; denying any student who qualifies will only create more chaos in this money-strapped state. Without students, the CSU system would not exist and we need a chancellor that understands this. Reed ain’t the one.

An enrollment cap will only create a larger social divide, forcing groups that are already underserved to stay at the bottom. Administrators like vice presidents and interim vice chancellors should be paid fairly and have opportunity for raises.

However, this can’t come at the expense of the student.

As responsible communities invested in protecting current and future education, we must demand Reed’s resignation — starting today. Chuckie Greed’s beautiful house is ours and it’s time to evict him as a bad tenant for “not keeping up the property.”

9 Comments

  1. Avatar

    By the time I’m done working 50 hours to live and take 9 units I hardly have any time to study. I won’t be able to keep this up if they keep cutting courses and raising tuitions. We need somebody who actually cares about us poor people.

  2. Avatar

    Reed is the bad pimple that won’t go away. This fat piece of crap will probably be the next mayor of Long Beach!!

  3. Avatar

    Reed is the bad pimple that won’t go away. This fat piece of crap will probably be the next mayor of Long Beach!!

  4. Avatar

    Arnold appointed Reed and is the only one who can remove him. Nuff said. He isn’t an elected leader. You can’t get rid of him, like a bad tick.

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    You won’t see a lot of support for Charles Reed. This is a bad guy who sold out the people he’s supposed to protect. Dump his ass, NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  6. Avatar
    pissed student

    How does a $50,000 raise justify that I can’t attend classes full time because I have to work longer hours? This guy’s gotta go, CSULB

  7. Avatar

    Any education head who bends to Schwarzenegger’s wishes without so much as a “tittie-twister” is not a leader. The CSU system used to be ranked No.1 in the the U.S. as a public higher educational system. Now it is ranked No. 49 our of 50 and tuitions have doubled in this decade alone. It’s time to get rid of this fool before he destroys the CSU.

  8. Avatar
    CSU landlord

    The chancellor is only part of the problem, but a big enough one to be kicked out. Giving pay raises when everybody else suffers is another in a long line of terrible decisions. Charles must resign. Good call 49er.

  9. Avatar

    Reed has violated every aspect of his mission statement. The staff writer is right. Reed must go, NOW!!!!

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