Spring Break
Faculty Senate's pay cut idea was unjust
by Hillel Buechler
Op-Ed | 1/13/09
Posted online at 11:27 PM EST on 1/12/09
/ Last updated at 12:37 AM EST on 1/12/09
More than one-third of Brandeis' Arts and Sciences faculty kindly made donations to the University in response to the Faculty Senate's job-saving proposal regarding voluntary pay cuts to save the jobs of a couple of faculty members. This action, although quite commendable, brings attention to a larger issue: the role of the faculty at Brandeis with regards to budget issues. Should the Senate have made this proposal? I think not.
According to the University Web site, "Faculty are the core of our community, and through their teaching, scholarship, research, advising and service, they create our intellectually vibrant institution committed to active learning and social justice."
The significant monetary reaction to the Senate's proposal will save two jobs. This is a clear example of faculty commitment to social justice. But giving the faculty a rather direct say in whether other University employees keep their jobs raises serious ethical questions. The New York Times, which picked up on the Brandeis pay cuts, described the Senate's original proposal as an "unusual suggestion."
After all, the faculty, the office staff and the support staff have at least one important thing in common. They're all Brandeis employees.
If it's not in their job description, should employees have power over whether others retain or lose their employment?
No, they should not. By allowing the faculty alone to raise the necessary funds to save some jobs, the University is pointing out that some posts are intrinsically higher on the University totem pole than others. That alone is not necessary problematic.
But allowing the faculty to make decisions that directly affect employees on the lower end of that pole does not seem very ethical at all. The Arts and Sciences faculty includes a number of quite academically and intellectually capable people, some of whom are undoubtedly qualified to make budgetary decisions. However, these decisions should not be made haphazardly at the discretion of the faculty.
According to the University Web site, "Faculty are the core of our community, and through their teaching, scholarship, research, advising and service, they create our intellectually vibrant institution committed to active learning and social justice."
The significant monetary reaction to the Senate's proposal will save two jobs. This is a clear example of faculty commitment to social justice. But giving the faculty a rather direct say in whether other University employees keep their jobs raises serious ethical questions. The New York Times, which picked up on the Brandeis pay cuts, described the Senate's original proposal as an "unusual suggestion."
After all, the faculty, the office staff and the support staff have at least one important thing in common. They're all Brandeis employees.
If it's not in their job description, should employees have power over whether others retain or lose their employment?
No, they should not. By allowing the faculty alone to raise the necessary funds to save some jobs, the University is pointing out that some posts are intrinsically higher on the University totem pole than others. That alone is not necessary problematic.
But allowing the faculty to make decisions that directly affect employees on the lower end of that pole does not seem very ethical at all. The Arts and Sciences faculty includes a number of quite academically and intellectually capable people, some of whom are undoubtedly qualified to make budgetary decisions. However, these decisions should not be made haphazardly at the discretion of the faculty.
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