As chair of the Administrative Senate, I was disheartened that I was not contacted for comment for the “Admin Worries” article in which Dr. McLaughlin raised concerns over the number and compensation of Ohio University’s administrators. I believe that pitting faculty against administrators distracts from concerns many employees share regarding how the University compensates and retains our talented employees.
Cabinet-level administrators are not members of the Administrative Senate because the nature of their employment with the University is quite different from our constituents’ “at will” employment. These executives negotiate multi-year contracts that still pay out even when they’re sidelined for unsatisfactory performance. Recently, some executives have enjoyed large bonuses while the rest of us had our take-home pay reduced due to increased benefit costs and stagnant wages. In future analyses, I encourage you to examine the cost of executive positions separately from non-executive administrators.
Administrators continue to deliver the experience that students expect and deserve, even though many departments have suffered staffing cuts. Residence hall directors provide safe, supportive environments for students to build lifelong friendships and professional networks. Academic advisors guide students to on-time graduation. Diversity and Inclusion administrators offer programming and social spaces to cultivate belonging and mutual respect. Information technology professionals maintain the infrastructure necessary for academic and social experiences. Advancement officers secure donations to fund scholarships and facilities. The list goes on.
I encourage the Post’s student journalists to continue bringing transparency to the University’s compensation practices, and I welcome an invitation to the conversation.
Jennifer Bennett is a member of Ohio University’s administrative senate.
