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SIU President James Walker recently approved the salary increase of three employees involved with the University's media department, a decision some feel to be inappropriate in the wake of 82 layoffs last week.
Walker approved the salary increases of three individuals in media and communications resources who are scheduled to assume new responsibilities and duties in the department.
According to SIUC spokesman Steve Binder, although the president has approved these increases, they still must go through the ratification process at the September or October Board of Trustees meeting before officially taking effect.
"One comment that I would like to make certain is made is what administration is," said Morteza Daneshdoost, a professor of electrical engineering and president of the Faculty Association.
Daneshdoost said he cannot see a way to justify these raises when members of the Faculty Association have not yet received the raises promised in their contract.
"We believe that these raises must be coming from positions that were laid-off, like groundskeepers, secretaries and other people laid-off."
While there are those like Daneshdoost who feel the approval of such raises have come at an inappropriate time for the University, Board of Trustees chairwoman Molly D'Esposito stresses that the relationship between layoffs and these increases is neither accurate nor appropriate.
"It's good practice if someone takes on more responsibilities for them to be paid at the level of work the person is being asked to do, as opposed to the comparison with the 82 layoffs," D'Esposito said.
Binder emphasized that the proposed salary increases and layoffs are in no way correlated and should be viewed as a means of paying employees the appropriate salary for the work that they perform.
"The raises are being given to individuals who will take on more responsibility only because of the additional duties they will now assume," Binder said. "They should be looked at in that light and that light only."
Binder said the raises are being instated for individuals who have taken on additional duties during the shifting of responsibilities as a means of reorganization in the department. The reorganization in the department has called for a budget slightly more than $1 million, a reduction of approximately $82,000.
Sue Davis, presently the spokeswoman for the University, said the department has worked hard to make the correct decisions in light of recent layoffs while still providing employees with the appropriate salary for their responsibilities.
She said that, in order to establish a system that properly reflects media works in today's society, the department had to undergo a makeover, which included changes in department names and responsibilities, and, as a result, titles and salaries.
Phil Bancaster, whose title of producer will change to assistant director of photography, will receive a slight increase in salary from $54,039 to $56,000. Rod Sievers, who will now be in charge of the video area and web design, will retain his title but gain a salary increase from $49,044 to $56,000.
Tom Woolf, a public relations writer, will have the largest raise, $45,000 to $56,000, when his job title officially changes to assistant to the associate director. Woolf, who has been writing more than 20 years, but only two years at SIU, will acquire the most duties when these new job titles go into effect.
Woolf will be in charge of the five reporters, daily news releases and web content, among other tasks.
Another employee, Terry Sveck, currently the director of photo communications, will not experience a change in salary when he becomes the assistant director of media and communications and special projects. Davis herself will experience a title change but no increase in salary.
Davis said the department has been open about its search for individuals to fill the new position of computer informations specialist and assistant director of web productions. They are also attempting to fill three previously held positions of director of management and communications, coordinator of marketing and assistant director of new media, a position vacant since last October.
Davis said these salary changes, in addition to the reduction in the number of university accounts in the area from seven to four, and the advancement to a more digital format, will all aid in the progression of the department of media and communications resources.
