10/8/2011: From Bill Graves in the Oregonian, on the recent court ruling that people with a concealed carry permit can bring their piece to campus:
Portland State University President Wim Wiewel said the universities should take administrative measures immediately, such as requiring students to sign contracts and not to carry guns.
Eastern Oregon University President Bob Davies said the ruling is less of an issue in La Grande, where many students hunt.
The article also covers the OUS board’s split 9 – 3 decision to allow UO to have its own sworn police force. With this priceless quote from UO VP Frances Dyke – who earlier claimed that this would save UO money:
UO Vice President Frances Dyke said costs would be minimal because the university already has invested in upgrading its public safety force, and it is working on an oversight plan.
A million dollars that could have been spent educating our students, or cutting their tuition. Fire Ms Dyke now, President Lariviere. I can think of at least 2 people who could take over her job Monday.
Why would he fire her? She’s just doing his bidding. If this wasn’t what he wanted, he would have stopped it and hammered out a new contract with Eugene PD during the last 2 1/2 years he’s been running the place.
Every supposed reason for letting it lapse and set up this UO PD could have been addressed in a new contract with either EPD or OSP. EPD doesn’t understand the culture? Set up a dedicated unit with permanent assignments. Not enough officers for the campus? Contract for specific number of officers and hours of on-campus presence. SWAT and other responders don’t know the campus layout? Do familiarization training on campus and joint training with campus security.
The only remaining reason is the prestige and appearance of OU having it’s own police force. That’s the driver here. And now Lariviere has a Praetorian Guard for his empire.
That $1,000,000 spent is likely the cost of the DPS administration alone. They want to hire 26 cops and 9 security guards. How does this save money? It doesn’t. Period.
Frances Dyke and Doug Trip with the help of Floyd Prozanski fooled the Legislature into believing this change would save money. I’d like to see an audit graphing the growth of the DPS budget from 2005 to now. Prove it will save money. Put it right where your mouth is and let’s see the proof. We need to demand this proof instead of this red herring tossed in order to appease the budget wary in our current state of fiscal crisis. Doug Trip along represents over 13% of that $1,000,000. How many administrators are there at DPS?
DPS has almost as many administrators as Officers. Their org chart is on their website, but here is a run down. 1 Chief/Executive Director, 1 Senior Associate Director/Assistant Chief, then the Office of Law Enforcement Services has 3 Lieutenants, 3 Sergeants and 16 Officers. Then there is the Safe Campus team, which has 1 Captain, 4 Sergeants, and 4 Officers. Then we move to the Office of Parking and Transportation which has a Director and about 8 classified staff. Now the Office of Security which has a Director, a Museum Security Administrator, and 4 classified. Now there is the Office of Administrative Services which has a Director, a Lieutenant, 2 Managers and 13 classified staff.
21 administrators to manage both day to day and 45 classified positions. A 2:1 ratio (classified:administrators) is ludicrous. I don’t think there were anywhere close to this many administrators in public safety in years past. I’ll have to check on that.
And this hasn’t or isn’t going to cost much more money? A stoned freshman could see the patent absurdity of the statement that this is somehow going to save money.
Top that off with the fancy new Tahoes public safety is driving. Those must be at least $60,000.00 per car and they have 4 or 5 or 6?
My opinion would be that money saving statement is at best misleading and at worst possibly an outright lie designed to influence the vote on this issue. If that is the case I wonder if there is some sort of misconduct law about providing false or misleading information to the legislation? If there is cost saving, which I am highly skeptical of, why doesn’t public safety simply put it on paper so it can be reviewed?
Looking at pay there are 3 positions that are costing well over $300,000.00 per year and do not include PERS/IAP or benefits.
I estimate that the administrative positions alone are costing close to $1,600,000.00 base and this estimate does not include retirement or benefits. Considering Doug Trip appears to have recently received a 10% raise I think it safe to assume that within a 10 year span that $1,6000,000 could potentially double.
I’m not seeing the need here and the numbers do not lie to us. Campus crime is down and this is according to public safety’s own literature. This all comes off as a few people building their own dynasty and writing their own paychecks. Something we do not need in during this state’s failing financial status.