Wednesday, November 7, 2001

Small Steps
More improvements are needed

Since Chancellor Michael Ferrari’s arrival at TCU in 1998, the university has made steps each year to improve the salaries of staff members. But despite efforts and good intentions, TCU needs to do more.

TCU’s entry-level salary is $15,080 a year or $7.25 an hour, which places a family of two under the poverty line of $15,096. Some of the staff members support bigger families. A low salary creates a need for some staff members to do double duty just to get by and spend less time with their families. In addition, TCU’s entry level wages for groundskeepers are the lowest when compared to other area schools and universities.

TCU’s mission statement states: “To educate individuals to think and act as ethical leaders and responsible citizens in the global community.” If the TCU community continues to turn the other cheek when other parts of our campus are in need, we cannot be called ethical leaders or even responsible citizens.

Tara Pope, a Staff Assembly member, has been organizing her colleagues and she has been educating the administration about the needs of the staff. Pope needs to be commended for her sensitivity and dedication.

It is TCU’s responsibility to provide top-notch facilities and education, which requires much money to accomplish, but that does not mean TCU should overlook compensating and rewarding the human capital that is essential to keep the university moving.

TCU administration needs to be commended for providing a raise for non-exempt staff members last year, but the administration should always be mindful of the living wage, not just the numbers.

Pope submitted a three-part recommendation Tuesday to the Staff Assembly requesting Chancellor Ferrari and the Cabinet raise entry-level salaries include long-time employees in next year’s compensation fund. Pope also asked the Assembly to investigate whether to ask Chancellor Ferrari and the Cabinet to place salaries for the lowest paid staff members on the list of items to which alumni are asked to donate.

These suggestions call for a long-term solution that will hopefully help all staff members make an improved living wage.