The Fight for a Living Wage

Across the country today, workers are joining the struggle for a living wage.

Why we seem so thoroughly convinced that universities shouldn’t get money from the state and yet seem perfectly content to let those same dollars subsidize the externalized costs of big companies is something tragic.

In any case, the reason I bring this up is because UNCG participates in this shameful low wage cabal. What I mean is that we aren’t all poor struggling to get by, UNCG just has some employees that it pays a pittance to and some who get fat raises at the same time.

For example, Tim Crews who has worked for UNCG for 19 years is employed full time for $10 an hour. If minimum wage had kept up with cost of living increases it would now be $18 an hour. So, we pay him only slightly more than half of what the absolute bare minimum pay should be.

After 25 years of loyal performance, Alice Courts only makes $23,762 a year. And she’s on the list of essential employees who must come to work at UNCG even when hazardous weather causes others to stay at home and the university to close.

Imogene Cathey, however, pulls in a handsome $85 an hour.

Jan Zink rakes in $137 per hour.

And they get to stay home.

UNCG has more than 200 full time employees earning less than $15/hour. Adjunct pay is shameful too.

Nancy Maree has been willingly teaching our students in the nursing program for 12 years and in return? She get $1,000. That’s all a class is worth? That’s all her expertise and insight are worth?

And, of course, the enormous raises given to those who already make more than they deserve continue to roll in. The execs get bigger salaries while the rest of us have to deal with nothing or fight among ourselves for scraps.

We are the workers.

We are the people.

We can do better.

Imogene Cathey Gets Demoted

It should come as no surprise, since she has clearly been operating well above her capabilities, that Imogene Cathey, who has been 'acting' as General Counsel for UNCG is being quietly tucked away as a Deputy Counsel in a departmental reorganization. Given the propensity of this administration (and the setup for the next one) to engage in acts that at best skirt the intention of the law, it should also come as no surprise that they are expanding the office of General Counsel.

Yes, there will now be even more positions in upper administration. However, given the rate they are clearing them out - and the uptick we hope to see in it - it still may leave us with less people than there could be. I'd be interested to know if Cathey's pay will also be demoted (currently at $170,000 per year) or if we are going to be adding another $170,000 position...or possibly an even higher paying one if the deputy gets to make $170k.

As the administration removes Cathey and gets lawyered up, it makes you wonder if they expect legal troubles to be an even larger part of the university's future or if they just plan on litigating their way through leadership as they set up an even more oppositional relationship with the faculty and staff here.

I have to admit, I don't think I'll be sending any thank you notes to Cathey and am still keeping my fingers crossed that wherever Paul Mason went to work may want an overzealous, under-competent attorney to complement their staff.

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From the desk of Linda Brady:

Across higher education, we are dealing with increasingly complex issues and an evolving landscape, such as compliance, Title IX, capital projects, public-private partnerships, and many others that require wide-ranging legal experience and strategic thinking. We also recognize the need for additional staff within our Office of General Counsel to address the volume and complexity of work and to enable us to be more responsive to competing demands.

This week we begin a three-part restructuring of the Office of General Counsel. First, effective February 10, Imogene Cathey, General Counsel, will move to a new Deputy General Counsel position to fully take advantage of her experience in employment law, personnel, human relations and civil rights, and complement the talents of existing Associate Counsel Mike Jung and Todd Davis. The addition of this position will add significant capacity, create a more balanced workload for all, and lead to the development of a more responsive team.

Second, also effective February 10, Betsy Bunting, who previously served as interim General Counsel at UNC Wilmington, Associate General Counsel at UNC General Administration, and Assistant Attorney General for the Department of Justice Higher Education Section, will assume the position of interim General Counsel at UNCG. She has extensive experience in higher education, understanding of the UNC system, and knowledge of the North Carolina judicial system.

Third, we will shortly announce the search for a permanent General Counsel, with the expectation that the next chancellor, once named, will interview finalists for that position and make the appointment.

Please join me in thanking Ms. Cathey for her past and continuing service and in welcoming Ms. Bunting to the UNCG community.

Please feel free to circulate this message to others. We will share this information in Campus Weekly.

Thanks for all you continue to do to support UNCG, our faculty, staff and students.