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Ethics & Legality of a small town University

The practices are not really "illegal", though if a FULL audit was done it would reveal a lot of violations of state standards and policy.

Frankly, your pay IS pathetic. If the system is that screwed up, then yes, you need to find a new job NOW.


And I am rather curious to know who the librarian is considering we are a pretty small group.
 
Oh I can leave no problem, but *my* sole leaving won't do anything.

I have tried to organize the staff to walk out, write a letter, try a vote of no confidence, but most of them are forced to cling to their $7-10 an hour. There is no union for anyone on campus, and no one will do anything together.
 
Yea, uh, my college paid me more than that ($12.50) to work part time in their IRT office developing websites...
 
I'm sorry to say that the scenario you described is certainly typical of higher education. The whole works runs on the buddy system, primarily because it is very difficult to measure actual performance. I know it's tough to accept, but you've seen it with your own eyes.

For your own benefit, you need to finish your Masters so you can leave for a better position. I will be the first to say there are plenty of advantages to living/working in a small town, but $8.67/hour with no health insurance... that's just not a livable wage for someone with your responsibilities.

If you have any leverage at all, it would be to inquire with HR why the Media Services Manager position was not posted so you could apply for it. That will tell you a lot right there. I suspect your university has a written policy that all openings must be posted and if that was not done, you have a legitimate complaint.
 
The one thing about your story that stuck out is that you seem to think the school doesn't have the money to give you a raise but hired someone new anyway.

First off, maybe they get tax breaks for having these positions filled or something, so maybe it balances out.

Second, they aren't giving you a raise and giving money to a new employee because you are letting them get away with it. They are not obligated to pay you a certain amount before they can hire people, AFAIK.

Your best bet is to find somewhere that respects your skills and gives you a challenge.

Did you expect something high end from a University that costs about $4k/yr?
 
Originally posted by: boatillo
Oh I can leave no problem, but *my* sole leaving won't do anything.

I have tried to organize the staff to walk out, write a letter, try a vote of no confidence, but most of them are forced to cling to their $7-10 an hour. There is no union for anyone on campus, and no one will do anything together.
Click to expand...

Here's the problem...

You are the one with the problem.

You are not bound to them. You want to leave? Fine. Do it. You don't have to try and ruin the University to find a better paying job and you might as well not burn the bridge on the way out. You aren't required to work there, you aren't in charge of what everyone else does. If they want to work a dead-end job at a dead-end university, who cares? That's their problem.

It's kinda "Mind-your-own-business".
 
fry cooks make almost as much as you, seriously quit unless they offer you more money.

Find out what someone with your responsibilities makes(or the range) at a similar sized university, present them with this and tender your resignation if they don't flinch.
 
Originally posted by: Injury
Originally posted by: boatillo
Oh I can leave no problem, but *my* sole leaving won't do anything.

I have tried to organize the staff to walk out, write a letter, try a vote of no confidence, but most of them are forced to cling to their $7-10 an hour. There is no union for anyone on campus, and no one will do anything together.
Click to expand...

Here's the problem...

You are the one with the problem.

You are not bound to them. You want to leave? Fine. Do it. You don't have to try and ruin the University to find a better paying job and you might as well not burn the bridge on the way out. You aren't required to work there, you aren't in charge of what everyone else does. If they want to work a dead-end job at a dead-end university, who cares? That's their problem.

It's kinda "Mind-your-own-business".
Click to expand...

A lot of good points here.

Think of it this way, what would you think if you heard someone complain about making $5.15 at McDonalds?

Either that is all you are worth, or you could just go somewhere else.

You are trying to think too hard about it. Hey, from a business perspective, they got some cheap cheap labor out of you(nearly free), why pay you more when you are willing to work for less?
 
Originally posted by: Injury
Originally posted by: boatillo
Oh I can leave no problem, but *my* sole leaving won't do anything.

I have tried to organize the staff to walk out, write a letter, try a vote of no confidence, but most of them are forced to cling to their $7-10 an hour. There is no union for anyone on campus, and no one will do anything together.
Click to expand...

Here's the problem...

You are the one with the problem.

You are not bound to them. You want to leave? Fine. Do it. You don't have to try and ruin the University to find a better paying job and you might as well not burn the bridge on the way out. You aren't required to work there, you aren't in charge of what everyone else does. If they want to work a dead-end job at a dead-end university, who cares? That's their problem.

It's kinda "Mind-your-own-business".
Click to expand...

That is it exactly - you live in a free country and can choose to work wherever you want. Rule #1 of the universe is that you cannot change other people. You are trying to change someone else's system - not gonna happen! Complaining about a system that you're not the boss of will most likely never get anything fixed. There are endless jobs out there waiting for you...you aren't stuck to that job for eight bucks an hour. You can complain about the injustice of it, but ultimately you are a free man.

Now go find a job that will treat you better! 😀
 
...
I have lobbied with my boss and the VP of the University for a re-evaluation of my job description and raise commiserate with my duties, education, and experience.
...
Click to expand...

Maybe your boss took it literally when you asked to commiserate with you.
 
Seriously move from there and get a new job. With the skills you have written you could easily make high teens low twenties in a bigger city.
 
You've learned that loyalty and dedication doesn't necessarily equal results. Unfortunately, that's just the way it is. Move on to another job and get your due compensation. Trying to change the culture of any organization is usually beyond a single person, and it's certainly not worth it.
 
If it is a state university, there is probably a state board of regents or something (I know that is what it is called here in NY)
 
The community college I go to pays its students who work for the campus $8.00/hr. That's the minimum wage here. Granted, they get zero benefits nor pension, but at that age, wages are more important (or so MOST think) than pensions.
It seems like half the classes here are taught by adjuncts. While they get paid pretty decently, they don't get any benefits, they don't have union protections, and they don't get paid for a lot of "out-of-class" time, like course prep, grading, etc. nor are they permitted to have TA's.

I certainly agree you're getting screwed.
FIRST, I'd line up a new job.
NEXT, I'd start complaining to the state.
THEN, I'd be writing to the various newspapers in the area and state capital.

While nepotism and favoritism aren't (under most circumstances) illegal in private employment, they MAY be, if not illegal, then highly regulated, bu the state government or the college district or agency that oversees that school.
I SURE wouldn't go down without a fight...
 
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