The use of "caves" in this headline is unprofessional.
I have no opinion one way or the other about this dispute. Vindy reporters and others have followed this story and have gathered facts, statements, and other evidence. Fine. That's what you are supposed to do.
But the conclusion that a group or agency has "caved" belongs on the editorial page, not in a news headline.
"Trafficant" should be "Traficant." (This is especially curious, given your apparently slavish reverence for him.)
Spelling errors aside, any homage to him simply represents a desperate desire for people to cling to the "they might be crooks, but at least they're OUR crooks" reputation that this area earned for itself decades ago.
Let it go. The more you live in the past, the more the future will pass you by.
"If employees at Youngstown State University had not shown such unadulterated greed in gorging themselves on pay raises in the midst of a national economic recession that has hit the Mahoning Valley harder than most regions in the state, students would not have to bear the burden of a 3.5 percent tuition increase in the coming academic year." FALSE -- the 3.5 percent tuition increase was approved ONLY after the final version of the state budget was approved on or about July 13. That version reduced (on very short notice) the amount of the State's contribution to universities for their instructional costs.
"On Tuesday, the board of trustees, under the guidance and direction of President David Sweet and members of his Cabinet, approved raising the undergraduate yearly tuition of $6,721 by $235 starting this fall." FALSE -- the Trustees do not operate under the direction of the president and his cabinet. It is the other way around.
"Employees are also rewarded for earning advanced degrees — love for learning? Get real. More like love of earning." What is it with you? Do you so disdain higher education that you actually want people NOT to advance their own education while working within the realm of higher education?
"Then, a member of the faculty union hired before June 1, 2008, received a longevity increase of $50 for each year of service. Thus, a faculty member with 30 years received $1,500 — that also was added to the base salary." First, your date is wrong. It's June 1, 2005. Second, you omit the fact that this was the FIRST time in anyone's memory that any meaningful longevity increase was included in the collective bargaining agreement for faculty.
"By some calculations, the entire first-year package resulted in an 8 percent increase for veteran professors." By WHOSE calculations? How many specific cases, if any, fall into this category?
"Then they could have asked the other unions to reopen their contracts to negotiate concessions." Well, the University can ask whatever they want, and so can the unions. But a characteristic of the labor-management environment since 2005 is not one of anyone making unrealistic demands, but rather of a collaborative and cooperative process that recognizes the legitimate concerns and interests of both sides. Sneer at that if you want, but the 2005 round of negotiations with the faculty was the most honest, open, civil, and constructive round that I have seen in my 21 years at YSU.
When your columns are on target, they are wonderful. When they are off target, as this one is, they so far off the mark that they are almost parodies of themselves.
Posted on September 9 at 12:51 a.m.
"What has changed is fewer people are interested in tying their future to such a discredited self-serving relic of the past."
That one sentence embodies everything that needs to be said about the future of our region.
Posted on September 3 at 12:16 a.m.
I don't think I've ever agreed with one of your editorials more than I do this one.
Posted on August 28 at 2:09 a.m.
The use of "caves" in this headline is unprofessional.
I have no opinion one way or the other about this dispute. Vindy reporters and others have followed this story and have gathered facts, statements, and other evidence. Fine. That's what you are supposed to do.
But the conclusion that a group or agency has "caved" belongs on the editorial page, not in a news headline.
Posted on August 28 at 1:52 a.m.
Amen! The WYTV/WKBN Traficant letter story was an embarrassing and almost desperate attempt to grab viewers.
I would say "Shame on them," but these shells of formerly good TV stations clearly have no shame.
Posted on August 20 at 12:01 a.m.
Good grief. :(
Posted on August 16 at 1:43 a.m.
"I,d" should be "I'd."
"maby" should be "maybe."
"Trafficant" should be "Traficant." (This is especially curious, given your apparently slavish reverence for him.)
Spelling errors aside, any homage to him simply represents a desperate desire for people to cling to the "they might be crooks, but at least they're OUR crooks" reputation that this area earned for itself decades ago.
Let it go. The more you live in the past, the more the future will pass you by.
Posted on August 10 at 12:38 a.m.
I agree with Mr. de Souza.
Posted on August 9 at 12:37 a.m.
Sigh... Will this area EVER be able to let go of its past??
Posted on August 5 at 5:44 p.m.
Must be a really slow day for news.
Posted on July 19 at 12:35 a.m.
"If employees at Youngstown State University had not shown such unadulterated greed in gorging themselves on pay raises in the midst of a national economic recession that has hit the Mahoning Valley harder than most regions in the state, students would not have to bear the burden of a 3.5 percent tuition increase in the coming academic year." FALSE -- the 3.5 percent tuition increase was approved ONLY after the final version of the state budget was approved on or about July 13. That version reduced (on very short notice) the amount of the State's contribution to universities for their instructional costs.
"On Tuesday, the board of trustees, under the guidance and direction of President David Sweet and members of his Cabinet, approved raising the undergraduate yearly tuition of $6,721 by $235 starting this fall." FALSE -- the Trustees do not operate under the direction of the president and his cabinet. It is the other way around.
"Employees are also rewarded for earning advanced degrees — love for learning? Get real. More like love of earning." What is it with you? Do you so disdain higher education that you actually want people NOT to advance their own education while working within the realm of higher education?
"Then, a member of the faculty union hired before June 1, 2008, received a longevity increase of $50 for each year of service. Thus, a faculty member with 30 years received $1,500 — that also was added to the base salary." First, your date is wrong. It's June 1, 2005. Second, you omit the fact that this was the FIRST time in anyone's memory that any meaningful longevity increase was included in the collective bargaining agreement for faculty.
"By some calculations, the entire first-year package resulted in an 8 percent increase for veteran professors." By WHOSE calculations? How many specific cases, if any, fall into this category?
"Then they could have asked the other unions to reopen their contracts to negotiate concessions." Well, the University can ask whatever they want, and so can the unions. But a characteristic of the labor-management environment since 2005 is not one of anyone making unrealistic demands, but rather of a collaborative and cooperative process that recognizes the legitimate concerns and interests of both sides. Sneer at that if you want, but the 2005 round of negotiations with the faculty was the most honest, open, civil, and constructive round that I have seen in my 21 years at YSU.
When your columns are on target, they are wonderful. When they are off target, as this one is, they so far off the mark that they are almost parodies of themselves.