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Union website criticizes CSU actions
Ashley Evans
The State Hornet
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According to the faculty union’s press release, the website accuses the CSU administration of abusing taxpayer dollars, corrupting the higher education system and making politically driven decisions rather than decisions that were best for CSU students and faculty members.
"We’re hoping that the website will be used as a public platform where people can submit information about what they see as administrative problems," said Alice Sunshine, the union’s communications director.
It has been reported that the Board of Trustees has made budget decisions based on other factors rather than on what is best for the CSU system and that administrators have misused tax dollars, Sunshine said.
A statement with which, Media Relations Specialist for the CSU chancellor’s office Paul Browning and Sac State Associate Vice President of Public Affairs Frank Whitlatch disagree.
"The CSU administration has not been caught abusing taxpayer dollars," Whitlatch said. "(The CSI website) seems more like politics than anything else. Something like this from a faculty union gives a whole new meaning to the term ‘Spin Doctor’.
"From what I have seen and heard there hasn’t been a misuse of taxpayer dollars", Browning added.
While CSU administrators and faculty members disagree over the specifics of this claim, according to several stories in the San Francisco Chronicle, the CSU has spent millions of taxpayer dollars on perks such as "tenure, paid transitional leaves and lucrative consulting assignments to an inner circle of CSU executives."
"It seems as though every week the news media uncovers another secret of the administration’s that exposes their poor managerial decisions and their inability to put the interests of the CSU system ahead of their own," CFA President John Travis said.
Together with Travis, the faculty union filed a lawsuit to stop the CSU from "wasting taxpayer dollars on lavish perks for executives."
According to the CFA website, the lawsuit, which was filed on Nov. 16, targets executives who are what the union leaders call, "double dipping."
"‘Double dipping’ is a term we use to explain the Faculty Early Retirement Program," said Brian Ferguson, the union’s communications specialist. "The program was instituted by the CSU as a way to give out golden parachute funds, which basically means that some (administrators and executives) who have retired are still receiving money from the CSU system."
The problem with this is that a lot of people who retire from the system early go on to get other jobs, which means that they are getting paid for two jobs when they are only doing one, Ferguson said. An example of this is former Sacramento State President Donald Gerth who is receiving money for writing a "table book" for the chancellor’s office, he added.
Browning said this is not only untrue but is misleading as well.
"All executives who work for the CSU system and the chancellor’s office hold really specific jobs geared towards their expertise and the work they did while working for the CSU system," Browning said. "It would be hard for others to do the work that they are currently doing."
According to a press release, students and faculty members are especially outraged that CSU administrators chose to hire Barry Munitz, the former CEO of the J. Paul Getty Trust, in secret.
The fact that Munitz, who was hired after being forced to resign because of a misuse of non-profit funds, is being paid over $163,000, shows that the administration is not acting appropriately, Sunshine said.
"It is issues like these that have encouraged CFA to include a public witness blog where students, faculty members and others can post their thoughts about administrative betrayal and missteps as well as offer anonymous tips," Sunshine said. The investigative team, which is made up of CSU faculty, staff and students, will look into all complaints, tips and leads as a way to start holding the CSU administration accountable for its actions, according to a press release.
According to the CSI website, a tip came in that claimed that Sacramento State President Alexander Gonzalez spent $265,000 during the renovation of his office.
Whitlatch confirmed this claim but is unsure why the CFA sees renovation and building as a problem.
"The campus renovates classrooms, offices and other facilities all the time," Whitlatch said. "It isn’t abuse just because some people didn’t think that the president’s office suite and conference room needed to be remodeled. That’s simply a disagreement."
"Stuff like this is going on everywhere," Ferguson said. "The main point that (Whitlatch) is missing is that $265,000 is equal to the amount of money it takes a CSU campus to offer 26 classes. What is more important education or a painting in an office?"
It just shows misplaced priorities on the part of Presidents Gonzales, Ferguson said. The renovations are still going to be looked into by the CSI investigative team, he added.
According to a press release, the CSI website is prefect for tips just like this one because it allows insiders the ability to come forward with information in either a public or anonymous manner.
"What we are trying to do (with CSI:CSU) is take a difficult thing and make it plausible by letting the public know that (what the administration) is doing is a crime," Ferguson said.
Ashley Evans can be reached at news@statehornet.com
