Page 113 - ThePhoenix1996-97

Volume XV, Number 8 Western Maryland College Thursday, March 6, 1997 WMC professors some of the lowest paid in Conference 12% pay raise requested by teachers; Dean Coley: "They don't have to throw us scraps of meat," BY SARAH SNHL Hopkins University or Swarthmore College. How much arc your professors Coley said thattfie drop was due worth? to a regional enrollment drop in the Committee Z of the American early 1990s, extraordinary ex- Association of University Profes- penses, and a significant amount of sors, in its annual request for a pay financial aid and scholarships. The increase, has asked the Budget other schools WMC compares it- Committee for a 12 percent raise, self with have a much larger en- according to Dr. Herb Smith. The dowment to fall back on, Coley contracts will come out this week, said. he said WMC was "never a wealthy in- Smith, chair of Committee Z, stitution," according to Coley. said the groups requested a fairly During the 1991-92 and 1992- large increase "to get where we 93 school years, the professors and belong among other institutions." administration at WMC did not re- Provost Joan Coley agreed say- ceive a pay raise at all, Coley said. ing, "We're not where we want to WMC is "very tuition dependent," be, but they don't have to throw us she said. scraps of meat." The enrollment drop was a Mr. Richard Dillman, president "natural fluctuation" which oc- oftheAAUP, termed the request as curred at other area schools, ac- an "academic quality raise." Ac- cording to Coley. The 12 percent cording to Dillman, ifWMC wants raise request was meant to compen- to portray itself as a selective sate for those years without pay WMC full professors are paid WMC is even larger with full pro- school, the professors should be raises, Dillman said. an average of $52,200 per year, fessors at $66,500, associate pro- "even when other schools were paid the same as at selective Faculty salaries are ranked at according !o~ a magazine fessors at $50,300, and assistant raising tuition at a higher rate." schools. four levels, one being the highest. put out by the AAUP. Associate professors at $41,900. The AAUP is an organization of Smith said that in 1988, WMC In 1988, WMC came very close to professors make $41,600 and assis- professors that serves as a discus- Coley said that the goal of rais- had the second highest paid profes- Dr. Robert Chambers goal of level tant professors $34,600, according ing faculty salaries is reasonable, sion forum for issues from salaries sors in the Centennial Conference. one across the board, Smith said. to the magazine. to teaching style, Dillman said. Now the college is among the low- Full and associate professors were Professors are at Gettysburg but she was nOI sure about the per- According to Coley, theAAUP est three. at level one with assistant profes- College are paid $54,400-$43,700- centage. would only represents a small number of The raise, Coley assured, Coley, Smith, and DiVman sors not far behind in level two, $38,000 respectively, Academe professors on campus. Some refuse agreed that WMC could not com- Smith said. Now the rankings are said. According to the magazine, not affect tuition. WMC has a to have AAUP represent them be- "policy that will keep tuition raises pare itself to schools such as John 2-3-3. the difference between Ursinus and under four percent," Coley said, cause it creates and "us-them" re- lationship, Coley said. Company finds right Students to offer free tax help to chemistry in education area residents and WMC students A local company already recog- port it has committed here and nized for its strong business-edu- around the county shows that busi- Western Maryland College stu- All returns are checked by Ms. The complete VITA schedule is: by IRS cation partnership will sponsor a nesses can make a real difference." dents and others trained tax help Milstein, also a certified public ac- Tuesday: offer agents will free faculty office in the new science Construction is expected to be- countant, and other volunteer ePAs March u, 25; April I, 8. center at Western Maryland Col- gin later this year on the $12 mil- through early April via the federal before being sent to the federal and Thursday: Volunteer Tax Assistance Income lege. lion laboratory science center, the (VITA) program. state tax offices. March 6, /3. 27; April 3, 10, The recent gift from Lehigh capital centerpiece of WMC's $40 The VITA office at WMC will Saturday: open to students The program, Portland Cement expands the million comprehensive fund-rais- and others who cannot afford pro- be open to the public Tuesday, March 8, 29; April-S, 12. company's continuing support of ing campaign. The exact location fessional preparation services, es- Thursday and Saturday through education on all grade levels, said in the new center and the name of pecially older, handicapped and Saturday, April 12, in Gold Room WMC President Robert H. Cham- the sponsored office will be deter- non-English speaking taxpayers, B in Decker College Center. The Inside bers, noting Lehigh's longtime mined at a later date. emphasizes self-help assistance to office hours are: Tuesday and sponsorship of scholarships to area "Lehigh Portland Cement has a those who can help with the prepa- Thursday, 7-9 p.m., and Saturday, Soapbox 2 students through the college's special interest in chemistry," said ration of their own taxes. noon-3 p.m. However, the VITA Pro vs. Con 2 Carroll County Student Grant Pro- plant manager David Roush, not- But the students will provide program will not operate during Staff Editorial 2 gram. The program currently sup- ing the company worked with lo- complete tax preparation if needed, WMC's spring break from March Letters to the Editor 3 ports 200 students. cal science educators to institute a according to Susan Milstein, asso- 14-24. Celtic Crossword 4 "Lehigh and its employees are study unit about cement in the ciate professor of" economics and Appointments are required. Theatre on the Hill 5 true advocates for our students, as county's high school chemistry pro- business and coordinator of the Those seeking help should bring Holocaust Museum 6 well as all others in Carroll gram. WMC program. last year's federal and state tax re- SGANews 7 County," Dr. Chambers added. He also noted that production The student volunteers earn [urns and all of the necessary 1996 Ballet Class 10 "The success of the programs the supervisor Herb Weller regularly academic credit for their work in income verification forms (W-2, Step Show 12 1099, etc.). company has instituted and the sup- Continued on page 5 VITA. Courtesy of Public Information Classifieds 12