and promises to do better with transparency and shared governance.
No, of course I’m not talking about Mike Gottfredson, that question was “asked and answered” long ago. These are the gracious words of PSU President Wim Weiwel, after he struck a difficult bargain with the PSU faculty union over raises and shared governance:
“It’s not like I feel our faculty and staff are overpaid. It is not that I don’t want to pay them more. It’s a matter of balancing it with what is fiscally responsible so that we can stay in business in the long run,” Wiewel said.
“I always feel good when we can pay our faculty and staff somewhat more because they do deserve it… It will require hard work on our side to” make sure there is enough money to pay the higher salaries in this two-year budget and after that too, he said.
Just how disgruntled faculty had become over the direction Portland State has moved under his leadership was a surprise to him, Wiewel told the Faculty Senate on Monday.
His interactions with faculty and staff during the past year and over his six years as president of Portland State had left him with a rosier sense of the faculty mood, he said. Faculty members’ treating him with the stereotypical “Portland nice” restraint and his own sunny optimism are probably both responsible for his misreading of faculty members’ mistrust and anger, he said.
“I have heard you and I am listening,” he told the roughly 100 faculty members assembled at the senate meeting.
Wiewel said he will launch widely inclusive discussions about Portland State’s direction and priorities. He also will work harder to be transparent about university spending and decisions, he told them.
Gottfredson’s next speech to the UO Senate is this Wednesday. Agenda here. Topic’s include Gottfredson and Geller’s attempted spring break power grab of the faculty’s academic responsibilities, and Coltrane’s report on implementation of the Blonigen Committee’s recommendations on how to deal with Espy.
Wiewel speaks with candor and humility. I seriously doubt Gottfredson will give up his NLP “happy speak” and odd sing-song delivery that goes along with it, but he could engage a speechwriter and then feign sickness and have Coltrane deliver it as a gesture of goodwill. It’s not quite as dramatic as an attempted administration coup on Spring Break, or the attempted administration takeover of the ASUO last week, but it might serve to be a great third act.
I’m still skeptical about Wiewel’s words (bet you can’t say that quickly 3 times in a row). The faculty union had already voted to strike and was going to do it before he backed down, found money, and appeared surprised that the faculty was unhappy.
Our administration is always happy to give us raises too…they just “don’t have the money”.
Good instinct.
But where did they find the money, in a seat cushion? I heard that they were in financial trouble at PSU with all the real estate deals. Perhaps the Mayors decision to not support the Urban… er Education renewal district freed up some previously committed funds?
Anyone know?