Your words resonate with the idea that money distorts the basis of merit. That it degenerates and dehumanizes society is how the terms "rat race" and "sell-out" came about.
Where mankind tends to be dishonest, and remiss at generosity when the virtue would benefit society, wage slavery and a acquisitive pecking order are bound to prevail. Maybe the winds will shift and positive virtue will determine position. Til then, "cultivate what virtue you can when you can" will have to coexist with "steal what you can when you can," which is currently in vogue today.
Correct. Which means that they put in alot of work and are very valuable to the university. So the price tag should be justified.
Re: Re : Who Says Making a Pie Is Easy?
Fred Goodman
12/17/2011 3:13:37 PM
As long as professors are used to support the political purposes of the government and the corporate wishes of businesses who can afford to make grants, there is no chance that the universities will be demonized. For a recent example, check out the scandal at East Anglia University.
Their tuitions will continue to grow at a rate above inflation. Students will be supported with loans and will continue to be enslaved by the debts.
Re: Re : Who Says Making a Pie Is Easy?
Fred Goodman
12/17/2011 3:03:49 PM
Well, the figure I quoted was hardly "out of my hat." It was the AVERAGE salary for a full professor at Stanford in 2008 and can easily be checked for verification. Because it is the average, there must be some receiving twice that amount and some receiving half, just as that must be true for senior research chemists at Exxon.
As far as the salaries received by lessor lights, I have first hand knowledge of that since I was paid $7,600 a 12-month year at UCLA in 1964 as an assistant professor with a doctorate and a three-year research grant that was paying part of my salary. It hardly covered the expenses of raising a family even in those days.
However, even at that time there were tenured professors earning many times my salary who were no longer contributing anything to teaching, research or knowledge. As I said, I have no problem with high salaries, but when certain jobs are praised and others are demonized purely for political gain, I have tremendous complaints and it just happens that at this moment "educators" are earning praise and workers in other endeavors that are not favored by the politically correct are being damned.
Now it is not just professors who are better compensated than the public believes, take a look at this post about public school teachers according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Re: Re : Who Says Making a Pie Is Easy?
Bargain Bin
12/17/2011 2:39:16 PM
My first thought is that people often see a correlation between gas companies and the destruction of the environment, while colleges/universies are usually associated with the cultivation of the mind, and so the exxon employee is chastised. That's just conjecture, though. However, I wouldn't be surprised, with all the attention being paid to college tution, if high-paid professors start to become scrutinized as time goes on.
Re: Re : Who Says Making a Pie Is Easy?
Broadway
12/17/2011 2:34:58 PM
Fred, when it comes to salary and college professors, you picked a high number out of your hat to support your argument. Sure, top professors at top private and public schools earn a lot. But many many professors working at small colleges and universities make much much less. Same goes for adjunct professors anywhere. Look up at the salary of an adjunct professor at Stanford and let me know what you find. An analogy: that Stanford salary you cited is the equivalent of a "big league" salary for a baseball player, while the vast majority of professional baseball players are in the minor leagues and make miniscule amounts in comparison.
Re: Re : Who Says Making a Pie Is Easy?
Fred Goodman
12/17/2011 12:56:08 PM
That is certainly one reason. However, it does not explain why the research chemist at Exxon is demonized for his high salary while earning less.
Other reasons for professors receiving high salaries include tenure, which assures that professors who stop producing once they are secure cannot be fired and yet continue to receive cost of living increases.
Another reason is that they perform functions for government which then supports their high salaries. Just as nasty corporations give grants to universities that promote their products, so too does government award grants to universities that support their legislative desires. Think Ethanol research for one, but I'm certain you can find many more.
Re: Re : Who Says Making a Pie Is Easy?
Bargain Bin
12/17/2011 12:35:06 PM
Why is it OK for the average professor at Stanford to earn $182,000 for a nine-month year while a full-time senior research engineer at Exxon Mobil (NYSE: XOM) is demonized for earning $125,000?
Great point. I can only assume it's because of the importance placed on a good college education in modern society.
Re : Who Says Making a Pie Is Easy?
yalanand
12/17/2011 4:15:49 AM
Unemployed people are grateful to politicians who extend their benefits and provide food stamps and other benefits.
@Fred, great post. I agree with your observation that politicians don't really want unemployment to fall. Sadly many politicians are driven by their political interest rather than national interest.
Re: What a surprise!
Tenacious
12/16/2011 9:46:03 PM
We think of lobbyists pejoratively, and yet we overlook the influence exerted by grants and more benign forms of pressure.
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