Do We Have Spare Cash?

You might be interested to read the piece from The N&O today where state teachers accuse our system of having money to spare.

It is an interesting question to ponder......and one each of us should be prepared to go to our Chancellors and ask. The budgets are public -- technically. But we all know how money gets shoveled around between categories and becomes harder to trace out. We also all know how the cuts have had an effect in our classrooms.

Politics and the need for money plays a large part in these charges. But we also should be held accountable for our use of public money (K-12 and University).

Masthead



Published Thu, Jun 17, 2010 05:45 AM
Modified Thu, Jun 17, 2010 12:02 AM
Vying for funds, educators defend their claims
Behind-the-scenes criticism of UNC-system spending burst into the open this week, with the president of the state teachers organization telling UNC President Erskine Bowles that universities had money to spare before they started cutting faculty.

The university is protecting its "questionable spending," said Sheri Strickland, president of the N.C. Association of Educators, while teachers in local public schools are losing their jobs.

The public criticism of spending for the state universities comes as legislative budget writers work out how to allocate an additional $75 million between the universities and public schools - money pulled from the proposed budgets of other state agencies to beef up education spending.

In the past year, tight budgets have heightened the competition between the teachers group and the state university system, with the NCAE claiming that Senate leaders protect the universities. NCAE stepped up its criticism of university spending this year, referring repeatedly to the $9 million in tuition breaks that legislators give UNC athletes and to a consultant's report that UNC-Chapel Hill has too many administrators.

Bowles defends system

In an e-mail message, Bowles said the system has already cut 930 jobs, including 900 administrative positions. A strong case has been made that the system went too far with administrative cuts, Bowles wrote, "but that's what we felt we must do to protect our academic core."

But the NCAE sent its members another news article about UNC salaries this week. Bowles is not firing back.

Through spokeswoman Joni Worthington, Bowles said, "I have no qualms whatsoever with K-12 fighting as hard as they can for every dollar they need to educate their students. In fact, I'm glad they are. It's important that the K-12 system be properly funded."

Advocates for local schools have been more visible overall this year, with the NCAE joining forces with the state Department of Public Instruction and school board and school administrators to highlight the consequences of budget cuts on K-12 public schools. The latest was this week, when superintendents from across the state talked of budget cuts leading to more children in classrooms and fewer foreign language and advanced courses.

Strickland said she sent Bowles a letter to respond to his comments last week that the House version of the budget would force faculty out of jobs and deny financial aid to poor students. The university system has money it can redirect, she said, including salaries from administrative jobs.

Budget writers said the additional $75 million they have to spend on education will help them get close to meeting the requirements of K-12 public schools and the university system.

lynn.bonner@newsobserver.com or 919-829-4821