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We saw progress in faculty/staff compensation. I hesitate to highlight pay raises as a measure of progress when the increases amount to little more than 2 percent a year. Yet, when compared to the negative gains of the previous biennium, I must join UW System President Reilly in praising the state’s release of these funds for faculty and academic staff salaries. We are a “talent enterprise.” Talent costs (think Packers as another example of a talent enterprise). It’s tough to rouse public support for someone else’s pay increase, of course, but Wisconsin’s reputation for modest compensation has imposed a “loyalty tax” on dedicated performers and driven rising stars to shop their difference-making talents out of state. Now, even our beginning faculty are being recruited away, and by institutions whose names are not household words. One example is Business, our largest major, where below-market salaries have contributed to recent departures including two faculty in their first year at UWGB. We will be recruiting this year to fill more than one-quarter of the regular faculty positions in that area. That’s why, in an exceedingly tight budget climate, the “Yes” vote by the Committee on Employment Relations (which included local legislators Gard, Lasee and Kaufert) is gratifying. There is some recognition a gap exists and needs to be addressed. • For Phuture Phoenix, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. The hundreds of community/campus volunteers and donors, the hundreds of UW-Green Bay student mentors, the thousands of participating grade-school children… all may take a bow for the wonderful success of the Phuture Phoenix program. We received yet another very public accolade in May when Gov. Jim Doyle unveiled his Wisconsin Covenant proposal to boost college participation rates. “Much of what we’re doing here is modeled after what has been done in Green Bay,” the governor acknowledged. He was very generous in congratulating Cyndie, director of Phuture Phoenix, and all those involved in initiating a grass-roots Wisconsin program that promotes diversity and raises the educational aspirations of young people. • The Kress Events Center is something to see. Before too long, it will enter that phase when finishing work moves inside, but right now construction progress is satisfyingly easy to track. The oval, two-story superstructure of the recreation/fitness wing is clearly visible and, nearby, banks of seating are rising to define what will be the 4,000-capacity events area. |
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The
state Facilities people tell us the project is right on target. (Although
75 percent of the funding is locally provided by student fees and private
donors, it nonetheless remains strictly a state project.) If you can’t
visit in person, look for visual updates and Webcam coverage during August
on our home page at www.uwgb.edu.
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