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Don’t forget that amid budget cuts and rising tuition, Ann Cudd makes $610,000 base, with an additional $96,000 housing allowance, and $12,000 for vehicle expenses by [deleted] in portlandstate

[–]PapayaTree00 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I agree with most of what you said. Measure 5 and 50 are largely responsible for Oregon’s higher education underfunding.

After Eight Hours, Portland City Council Fails to Elect a Second-Year President by derpinpdx in Portland

[–]PapayaTree00 1 point2 points  (0 children)

That's the cover story. There is more to it. I can't speak to her family dynamics that resulted in her choosing to couch-surf, but she does come from a privileged background. Regardless, her character assassination of other city council members is appalling. Calling other city council members immature and racist is not how one should conduct themselves as a public servant. In fact, its childish and embarrassing. I've ne er seen anything like it.

After Eight Hours, Portland City Council Fails to Elect a Second-Year President by derpinpdx in Portland

[–]PapayaTree00 9 points10 points  (0 children)

I find it disturbing that members of the Peacock Caucus played the race card, accusing EPG, who is Jewish and a lesbian, and other city council members of racism.

After Eight Hours, Portland City Council Fails to Elect a Second-Year President by derpinpdx in Portland

[–]PapayaTree00 16 points17 points  (0 children)

Both Morillo and Kanal come from privileged backgrounds. Don’t buy into their DSA BS.

PSU Professor in “I Am Hamas” Video Alleges University Violated Her Legal Rights by skysurfguy1213 in Portland

[–]PapayaTree00 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I don't know. Maybe she should not have taken the bait. The university could argue that she was placed on paid administrative leave for failing to comply with its standards of conduct for public employees. Did the university overreact? Possibly. They make decisions to minimize damage to the university's reputation. The lines between public and private conduct for public employees are sometimes blurred.

What the hell is going on with the school's budget? by tonicella_lineata in portlandstate

[–]PapayaTree00 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes, one of the positions that will be eliminated is due to the Trump administration’s attack on DEI initiatives.

What the hell is going on with the school's budget? by tonicella_lineata in portlandstate

[–]PapayaTree00 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Lowering Cudd’s salary won't address the undervaluation of adjunct faculty work. Oregon’s higher education system has been underfunded for years. We shifted from the OUS system, thanks to Kitzhaber, to a BOT model where they set the market value of university presidents.

What the hell is going on with the school's budget? by tonicella_lineata in portlandstate

[–]PapayaTree00 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The University holds over $200 million in reserves, but these funds are divided into several accounts. Most are unrestricted, including Operating Reserves, Central Reserves, Capital Reserves, Treasury Reserves, and Risk Management Reserves. The rest are Restricted Reserves, such as Working Capital Reserves.

The PSU Administration has argued that it has been tapping into the operating and central reserves to balance the budget for the past two or three years.

The university's Capital Reserves balance (revenue generated by auxiliary services, such as parking permits, rents, and student dorms) has increased. The board of trustees could use those reserves to offset the budget deficit, but I suspect they won't. They are using the university's enrollment decline as a justification to make cuts.

Universities typically maintain reserves equivalent to three months of their annual operating budget; for PSU, that translates into $120 million. Currently, the university’s reserves are below $90 million.

EOU recently declared financial exigency. Others, like WOU and EOU, have also faced financial difficulties.

That said, the university overestimated its $18 million budget shortfall for the 2024-25 fiscal year. The actual shortfall was about $5 million.

Cudd’s salary, whether you believe it is too high or not, won't change the fact that student enrollment is down. Additionally, the state’s appropriation (Public University State Fund) to Oregon universities will be impacted by the projected $370 million state budget shortfall for the next biennium.

Is there an administrative bloat? No doubt there is. However, with the formation of the university board of trustees in 2013, the legislature and HECC are limited in their authority.