Spring Break
Who deserves more?
ECU should reconsider the areas that they are distributing their funds
Lauren Collins
Issue date: 12/4/08 Section: Opinion
The university seems to have a number of things that need to be taken care of or adjusted in terms of funding. Recently I discovered that Skip Holtz's salary is $565,000 for this year's season, and ECU has locked him into a six-year contract that is expected to total a whopping $9.5 million. Although a large contribution to this salary comes from Pirate Club donations, ticket sales and sponsored events that Holtz participates in, his coaching has minimal reflection on student academics, which should be a higher priority than athletics.
The ECU Board of Trustees also approved a $32,400 raise for athletic director Terry Holland, bumping his salary to $356,400. Ironically, the professors, who work hard to prepare students for their future careers, average salaries of about $74,000. Aside from the obvious whoa-factor involved with the drastic difference in salaries, there are concerns on campus as well.
Because funding is minimal, there is a strict 30-page limit on printing in the Student Writing Center's computer lab. The signs are plastered for all to see, yet when students print their materials, a nice big blob of splotchy black covers the pages. I was informed that the Writing Center does not receive enough funding to provide a new printer for the number of students that walk in each day. Perhaps the percentage of ticket sales that Skip Holtz receives could be allocated to student needs instead.
Professors and instructors are starting to email their ".pdf" files to students because they are limited on copies. It doesn't do much good for students who have limited computer access. If they go to the Student Writing Center, they're wading through ink stains or inconveniently forced to get to the labs that often close before their posted times. It seems beneficial that funding needs that directly affect students should be a top priority.
During the 2006-2007 fiscal year, only 13 percent of funding went to supplies and materials. Approximately 14 percent was directed to services, but the combination only totaled about $187,000. Judging by existing problems, it's safe to assume that funding has either stayed the same or decreased since 2007. Ironically, student tuition and fees has increased to $4,218 for in-state students and $14,732 for out-of-state undergraduates. Graduate students are expected to pay about $400 more. With an increasing amount of students entering ECU, it seems simple that the total tuition and fee amounts received could be delegated much more appropriately.
The ECU Board of Trustees also approved a $32,400 raise for athletic director Terry Holland, bumping his salary to $356,400. Ironically, the professors, who work hard to prepare students for their future careers, average salaries of about $74,000. Aside from the obvious whoa-factor involved with the drastic difference in salaries, there are concerns on campus as well.
Because funding is minimal, there is a strict 30-page limit on printing in the Student Writing Center's computer lab. The signs are plastered for all to see, yet when students print their materials, a nice big blob of splotchy black covers the pages. I was informed that the Writing Center does not receive enough funding to provide a new printer for the number of students that walk in each day. Perhaps the percentage of ticket sales that Skip Holtz receives could be allocated to student needs instead.
Professors and instructors are starting to email their ".pdf" files to students because they are limited on copies. It doesn't do much good for students who have limited computer access. If they go to the Student Writing Center, they're wading through ink stains or inconveniently forced to get to the labs that often close before their posted times. It seems beneficial that funding needs that directly affect students should be a top priority.
During the 2006-2007 fiscal year, only 13 percent of funding went to supplies and materials. Approximately 14 percent was directed to services, but the combination only totaled about $187,000. Judging by existing problems, it's safe to assume that funding has either stayed the same or decreased since 2007. Ironically, student tuition and fees has increased to $4,218 for in-state students and $14,732 for out-of-state undergraduates. Graduate students are expected to pay about $400 more. With an increasing amount of students entering ECU, it seems simple that the total tuition and fee amounts received could be delegated much more appropriately.
Viewing Comments 1 - 10 of 31
Matt
posted 12/03/08 @ 9:36 PM EST
Your an idiot!
Lee
posted 12/03/08 @ 9:45 PM EST
ROFL. This bitch is an idiot.
Ryan
posted 12/03/08 @ 9:48 PM EST
Lauren,
You make some very good points and I wish there was more money to go around to help out with supplies, teacher salaries, etc. Although our football team is ultimately the flagship of our great institution. (Continued…)
Brian
posted 12/04/08 @ 12:51 AM EST
Athletics is a sense of pride and also a source of revenue. We cannot hope to be competitive in the state unless we are competitive, and part of that competition comes in academics, but part of it also comes in athletics. (Continued…)
Hmm
posted 12/04/08 @ 2:46 AM EST
And my personal pet bitch about them? They feel it necessary to charter special buses to ferry the entire GD team to the Greenville Hilton, before a HOME game, no less, and then charter buses to ferry them back to the game the next day. (Continued…)
Philippi
posted 12/04/08 @ 3:16 AM EST
Lauren Im sure that when the Wall Street Journal calls you and offers you that $500,000 contract, which is the only reason you are writing this absurd article, you wont have a problem accepting it. (Continued…)
Jason
posted 12/04/08 @ 9:43 AM EST
Lauren, until you're an alumni and can donate your money to whichever cause you decide to, I suggest you write about other subjects. Clearly your knowledge and lack of real research or intelligent thought are clouding your input on this subject. (Continued…)
Joel
posted 12/04/08 @ 10:40 AM EST
That is not true about the aging equipment in the writing center. Those printers get refreshed every 4 years and replaced as needed if they break. The lab coordinators are the ones that set how much a student can print in any given lab. (Continued…)
Vanessa
posted 12/04/08 @ 12:45 PM EST
Just because something has always been done a certain way doesn't make it right.
And -- correct me if I'm wrong -- the football players are all adults, all grown men, right? Shouldn't they be able to get to bed on time without a chaperon?
jimbo327
posted 12/04/08 @ 3:04 PM EST
Let see, were Virginia Tech, Boston College, Miami, Florida State invited to be part of the ACC because of their great academic standing (which most of these school if not all are ranked in the top 100 schools in the nation), no they became part of the ACC because they had great sports teams. (Continued…)
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