The subject that seems to be on the mind of a lot of central individuals (the staff) is the notice that the raise for next year will be 3 percent; even more striking is that the percentage for the staff at the University Press will be 1 percent. Perhaps a different approach might help explain reactions.

Take, for example, 3 percent of the new president’s base salary – excluding his deferred compensation of $50,000 a year, a $50,000 yearly housing allowance, a $5,000 bonus each semester, and if his home in New Orleans is not sold, the Board of Trustees agreeing to purchase it for $875,000, and also not counting his $700,000 life insurance policy and the new American model automobile (alternate years) – and 3 percent of his base salary only totals $10,500, almost enough to make a workable difference in the budget for the press.

Allocation of funds, of course, indicates the values of the force that does the allocating. At Kent State University the future looks grim indeed.

Thomas David

Professor Emeritus

English Department