Letters to the editor
Comments
by admin on April 30, 2009 at 4:00 am under Opinion
I am writing to express concerns about your April 23 story “Admins get dramatic, erratic raises.” My overarching concern is that the story was based on the complaints of one anonymous professor.
Journalists adhere to standards set forth by the Society of Professional Journalists and the Associated Press. Those standards prescribe that anonymity not be bestowed lightly and that sources’ motives always be questioned before granting anonymity.
Certainly there are some who believe vice presidents’ raises/salaries are too high, and nothing I say is likely to change those opinions. However, I would like to share some facts the reporter omitted.
I noted that the average faculty salary, not including those who were promoted and received raises, has increased 20 percent, or $12,000, since 2005. (The average salary for VPs increased 18 percent for the same period.) I explained how a VP making $160,000 who received a 20 percent increase would see a raise of $32,000.
The reporter chose to only explain salary increases in terms of dollars. A VP earning a higher salary than a faculty member will see a larger dollar increase as a result of the same percentage raise.
The Arizona Board of Regents establishes the guidelines for executive compensation at the universities. Those guidelines call for salaries to be at 90 percent to 110 percent of the average salaries of NAU’s comparative group of universities. I had informed the reporter that NAU’s highest-paid VP is at 78.1 percent of that average.
With faculty salaries, the university set a goal of a minimum of 85 percent of the average of their comparative group. Tenured and tenure-track faculty are at about 94 percent; full professors are at about 91 percent.
The reporter suggests I was in error when I stated that no VP has received a salary increase since 2007. A follow-up phone call would have revealed the information I provided was correct.
A reporter writing a balanced story would have found that some VPs have received increases because their positions shifted from that of director, dean or interim vice president.
The story also reported an incorrect number of VPs. NAU has eight VPs, not 20. The reporter should have clearly stated what positions were being examined.
I am disappointed the reporter approached this story with such a predetermined agenda. In the future, I would hope to see more balanced reporting and less reliance on anonymous sources who appear to have a grudge.
- Lisa Nelson
Director of Public Affairs
Northern Arizona University
Editor’s Note: The Lumberjack stands by its reporter and the information presented in the story.
1 Comment
To many Arizonans, , Black Canyon City is just a blip on the map while your driving to Prescott or Flagstaff, and for a lot of Black Canyon City folks, they’re thankful for that.
Except for those of us that know the famous Rock Springs Café or the pancake laden Four B’s Restaurant. Just before entering I-17 to the north and heading out of town you’ll pass a
bridge that crosses the mostly dry Agua Fria River. To the left was a little community called The River’s Edge RV Park and the home for the historic Stage Stop. Which in it’s name alone dates back to when the west was young. Now I’m using the past tense form because
a week ago a seven foot wall of water rushed down the Bradshaw Mountains and literally washed about seventy mobile style homes out of the park. 90 percent of the residents
lost everything. Some RV’s and mobiles were a complete loss.
Now a handful of the residents were a bit optimistic about rebuilding and returning to their homes Not a great idea because of possibility of black mold which I’m sure will be present.
Last night my wife and I attended a meeting with public officials concerning the number of suddenly homeless people due to this disaster.
Though the public officials were a bit taken back by the incredible show of residents, in fact there was a mad dash to find more chairs, they also made sure that the place was secured by having about seven deputy sheriffs as escorts. Things could get out of hand. Channel 15 was there filming so the officials made sure they were on their best behavior due to the exposure. Most of the top brass was there, even Senator
Harper, who had mentioned he didn‘t even realize Black Canyon City had flooded . One group didn’t make it. FEMA, which was still evaluating the photos they had taken back to Washington DC.
Just like Katrina, FEMA is busy pushing pencils while the poor residents at the River’s Edge are shoveling mud trying to recover anything.
Though the council handled some pretty
sharp questions about the Corp of Engineers and their questionable rebuilding of the banks of the Agua Fria after the last flood, they gave little comfort for any quick response for the residents. Maybe a month or two, they could see a little relief.
Now with FEMA contributing most of the monies and of course them not being present, made most of the residents on edge.. Steve and Carol Phillips, the owners of the park are among the residents who lost everything. Steve lost about twenty thousand dollars in tools alone. He was more than thankful that no one lost their lives which could have happened. You saw the picture in the paper of his dump truck buried in six feet of mud. I asked him how many floods he has seen since he took over the RV park and he told me a few, but none that equaled more than an over zealous irrigation status. Steve said that one time he had to remove a couple of RV”s from his back lot. Now though they had home owners insurance, they didn’t have flood insurance. So it’s questionable if they will recover anything. I don’t understand how an insurance company would not mandate flood insurance in a place called the River’s Edge. It’s almost a joke when you consider that most the washes in Arizona don’t contain water and the man made lakes and streams have trouble
maintaining theirs . It’s about as ludicrous
as everyone in Phoenix having snow, hurricane or tornado insurance. It just doesn’t happen. So it all boils down to an Act of God Clause, which I didn’t realize in this case is an umbrella for the insurance company instead of the residents. If I’m not mistaken, and I might be, I think
a long time ago one of the long time residents told that before it was named Black Canyon City, the town was called Mud Springs. Kind of ironic isn’t it?
Steve Fiegen
Now a fund has been set up to help the people of Black Canyon
City, especially The River’s Edge People.
If you would like to help, you can send donations to.
Black Canyon City Relief Fund
Po Box 86-J
Black Canyon City, Az 85324
(623)374-5569