@Veleuk, I would gladly critically think about your post, if there was anything in there to think critically about. And @FairandEqual, thank you for proving my exact point. If you don't understand the issues, keep your mouth shut.
Well, FairandEqual, there you go again, spouting the AVERAGE salary. You have no clue what I make as my salary, know nothing about what I actually pay for my healthcare, know nothing about the amount of work I put in at the university, know nothing about my background, clearly know nothing. Nothing I say will make you believe that I truly care about my students and want them to be successful. If that means that I don't get paid (which, by the way, because we don't have a contract, I won't get paid until there is a new contract), it means I don't get paid. But my students will still get their money, and they will still get their education. Sheltered? Again, since you know nothing about me it is quite presumptuous of you to call me sheltered. Believe what you will, I care about my students. They know it, and I know it, and that's what really matters.
People who are ignorant of the issues should not write comments. It only makes you sound more ignorant. First, an EdD is absolutely less intense, less time-consuming, and less competative, and therefore easier to obtain, than a PhD. While someone with an EdD is still a "Dr.", it is not held to the same esteem as someone with a PhD because of the ease of obtaining and EdD compared to a PhD. Second, the union rescinded the strike not because we continue to receive the same benefits as we did in the expired contract (as we would have continued to receive those health benefits through December 31, 2011 regardless if there was a strike or not), but because we empathize with the students. Every single faculty member on that campus has had to live on student loans. In fact, most of us lived on student loans for a bachelor's degree, a master's degree, and a PhD. We understand the students' frustrations and angst. THAT is why we rescinded the strike. Third, we do not make nearly the amount of money that people in the community seem to think that we make. Do we make more than the average Mahoning Valley resident? Yes. Do we have AT LEAST 5 years of advanced education beyond that of the average Mahoning Valley resident? Yes. Do we have specialization in a particular field that makes us experts in something that we then contribute to future generations so that they can become experts in a particular field? Yes. Clearly we should make more than the average resident. However, we are not rolling in dough. Many of us also struggle to make ends meet. Many of us (myslef included) have $1000/month student loan payments to make. I'm sick and tired of people talking about how greedy we are. I worked my a** off to get a PhD so that I would make a little more money than the average resident; I also work many more hours than the average resident, so I earn my money. When you read statistics about the average faculty members' salary, keep in mind that if one or two people make a large sum of money, they pull the mean up. The average salary of a YSU faculty is $75000...rest assured that I, and all of my fellow junior faculty members, make NO WHERE NEAR that amount. C'mon people, think critically of the information you are presented. Use that brain floating around in your skull.
Seriously? And the Vindy calls itself a real newspaper...ridiculous. The Vindicator clearly has NO understanding of the issues at hand regarding the contract negotiations and a possible strike. It has NOTHING to do with pay raises. In fact, as others have said, YSU faculty agreed to not only 0 and negligible pay raises over the next few years, but to a large (approximately 3-5%) pay cut. And I believe that anyone out there would find it unfair if at their jobs, the bosses said, "Hey, not only are we not going to give you raises for doing an awesome job and working 60+hours/week, we're going to cut your salary by 3-5%". No one would be okay with that.
YSU faculty calls off strike
@Veleuk, I would gladly critically think about your post, if there was anything in there to think critically about.
And @FairandEqual, thank you for proving my exact point. If you don't understand the issues, keep your mouth shut.
August 26, 2011 at 3:59 p.m. permalink suggest removal
YSU faculty calls off strike
Well, FairandEqual, there you go again, spouting the AVERAGE salary. You have no clue what I make as my salary, know nothing about what I actually pay for my healthcare, know nothing about the amount of work I put in at the university, know nothing about my background, clearly know nothing. Nothing I say will make you believe that I truly care about my students and want them to be successful. If that means that I don't get paid (which, by the way, because we don't have a contract, I won't get paid until there is a new contract), it means I don't get paid. But my students will still get their money, and they will still get their education. Sheltered? Again, since you know nothing about me it is quite presumptuous of you to call me sheltered. Believe what you will, I care about my students. They know it, and I know it, and that's what really matters.
August 26, 2011 at 1:46 p.m. permalink suggest removal
YSU faculty calls off strike
People who are ignorant of the issues should not write comments. It only makes you sound more ignorant.
First, an EdD is absolutely less intense, less time-consuming, and less competative, and therefore easier to obtain, than a PhD. While someone with an EdD is still a "Dr.", it is not held to the same esteem as someone with a PhD because of the ease of obtaining and EdD compared to a PhD.
Second, the union rescinded the strike not because we continue to receive the same benefits as we did in the expired contract (as we would have continued to receive those health benefits through December 31, 2011 regardless if there was a strike or not), but because we empathize with the students. Every single faculty member on that campus has had to live on student loans. In fact, most of us lived on student loans for a bachelor's degree, a master's degree, and a PhD. We understand the students' frustrations and angst. THAT is why we rescinded the strike.
Third, we do not make nearly the amount of money that people in the community seem to think that we make. Do we make more than the average Mahoning Valley resident? Yes. Do we have AT LEAST 5 years of advanced education beyond that of the average Mahoning Valley resident? Yes. Do we have specialization in a particular field that makes us experts in something that we then contribute to future generations so that they can become experts in a particular field? Yes. Clearly we should make more than the average resident. However, we are not rolling in dough. Many of us also struggle to make ends meet. Many of us (myslef included) have $1000/month student loan payments to make. I'm sick and tired of people talking about how greedy we are. I worked my a** off to get a PhD so that I would make a little more money than the average resident; I also work many more hours than the average resident, so I earn my money. When you read statistics about the average faculty members' salary, keep in mind that if one or two people make a large sum of money, they pull the mean up. The average salary of a YSU faculty is $75000...rest assured that I, and all of my fellow junior faculty members, make NO WHERE NEAR that amount.
C'mon people, think critically of the information you are presented. Use that brain floating around in your skull.
August 26, 2011 at 1:11 p.m. permalink suggest removal
Should Youngstown State University faculty go on strike if they don’t get pay raises?
Seriously? And the Vindy calls itself a real newspaper...ridiculous. The Vindicator clearly has NO understanding of the issues at hand regarding the contract negotiations and a possible strike. It has NOTHING to do with pay raises. In fact, as others have said, YSU faculty agreed to not only 0 and negligible pay raises over the next few years, but to a large (approximately 3-5%) pay cut. And I believe that anyone out there would find it unfair if at their jobs, the bosses said, "Hey, not only are we not going to give you raises for doing an awesome job and working 60+hours/week, we're going to cut your salary by 3-5%". No one would be okay with that.
August 19, 2011 at 2:23 p.m. permalink suggest removal