F E A T U R E I N T H I S I S S U E The University Club houses art For one Pitt staffer, making treasures old and new. See pages regular trips to China is in the job description.................................5 & 6 8 & 9. The United States needs a plan for underground mine rescues, accord- ing to a western Pennsylvania busi- U N I V E R S I T Y ness owner whose company hastened the rescue of the 33 trapped Chilean TIMES miners last fall................................10 VOLUME 43 • NUMBER 12 FEBRUARY 17, 2011 UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH More faculty raises exceeded inflation in FY11, report shows University report pre- sented to the Senate Administrators, BPC Abudget policies com- agree to jointly develop mittee (BPC) Feb. 11 found that a way to analyze faculty more of Pitt’s full-time continuing . faculty received pay raises that salary trends. See page 4 kept pace with inflation in fiscal year 2011. The analysis, which Pitt’s Man- Although individual faculty agement Information and Analysis members’ raises averaged 4.4 office typically prepares for BPC percent, the analysis showed that, each year, was not compiled last of 1,873 full-time continuing year due to the FY10 pay freeze. faculty, 543 (or 29 percent of the (See March 5, 2009, University total) received raises of less than Times.) the 2.7 percent rate of inflation According to the FY11 report, 914 faculty members received Peter Hart in FY11. In comparison, a report “Egypt, Egypt, free at last!” that analyzed faculty raises for raises of 2.7 percent-4.99 percent; About 50 local students and other demonstrators held a spontaneous celebration near Schenley FY09 showed about 59 percent 214 got raises of 5 percent-7.49 Plaza Feb. 11, as the news spread of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak’s ouster from power. of full-time continuing faculty percent; 93 received raises of 7.5 Included among the revelers was Pitt senior Youssef Abdelwahab, third from left, whose parents fell below the inflation rate of percent-9.99 percent and 109 got are from Egypt and who has family members still living there. Abdelwahab, who watched intently as the situation in Egypt unfolded in recent weeks, told the 4.1 percent. (See April 2, 2009, raises of 10 percent or more. University Times, “I’m very happy. It was amazing to watch that in just two months, even less, University Times.) CONTINUED ON PAGE 4 how Mubarak’s control had deteriorated, due to the actions of the people.” Abdelwahab said he had to rearrange his study schedule to allow him to watch late-night news on CNN and Al Jazeera. “It made me very proud to see the protesters,” he said. “I would like to see the military take control only to keep order until Egyptian citizens get back Pitt’s pay going green to their normal routines, and then allow the democratic process to unfold. Egyptians value free- dom and they vote, but they do it cynically, because they know the results are corrupt.”Now he’s hopeful that that will change. See story on page 3. Paper “advice” statements to end he end is near for most at this time. paper payroll “advice” According to Jeffreys, the move Port Authority cuts remain a concern Tstatements at Pitt. to paperless pay statements saves iscussion of looming Port in state emergency funding to cerned as faculty about the trans- When an online pay state- the cost of printing and distribut- Authority of Allegheny the Port Authority, announced portation issue, which will affect ment option was unveiled last ing 168,000 pay statements each DCounty service cuts has in December by outgoing Gov. students not just getting to Pitt,” October, the Payroll department year. A 2007 cost study estimated dominated recent meetings on Edward G. Rendell, does not but traveling to externships in announced that the end of the that would save about $250,000 a campus. A public on-campus negate the impact a series of ser- areas with little or no bus service. familiar blue-and-white advice year, he said. meeting will be held with Port vice cuts begun last June has had “How will they get to those places? envelopes was on the horizon. Employees who log into the Authority representatives, prior on Pitt employees and students, a We would prefer our students not Now the time has come. After PRISM system through the to the 15 percent system-wide cut situation that will be exacerbated have to drive,” Pinsky said. the March 31 pay statements are my.pitt.edu portal can review in bus service set to go into effect by the March cuts, the chancel- “This is not a minor issue here. distributed, the Payroll depart- their monthly statement and an March 27. (See Jan. 20 University lor said. The University says the city is our ment will discontinue issuing archive of the past three years’ Times.) No date for the meeting While the funding shortfall is campus and as such transportation paper statements for employees statements online by clicking on has been set. not a new issue, during this recent is an absolute premium in order who are paid monthly. “PHR Employee Self-Service” In addition, Pitt’s Governmen- crisis of significant service cuts to maintain the ability to go to A Jan. 25 memo to department and selecting “pay statement.” tal Relations office has helped to with more to come, Pitt’s adminis- school. We also have an awful lot of administrators and responsibil- Jeffreys, who touted the online establish a designated contact at tration is more involved than ever, tax-paying and voting employees ity center business administra- statements as secure and conve- the transit company for Pitt con- he said. “Among other things, we who therefore should theoretically tors announced the change and nient for users, said Payroll has cerns, and the Staff Association have been active participants in have a greater influence,” he said. advised recipients they would be not been tracking use of the online Council plans to partner with regional advocacy initiatives and “It might be a good idea to receiving a letter this month that option but has been receiving posi- the Port Authority on a courtesy have participated in discussions coordinate some of [our lobby- could be distributed to monthly tive feedback from the employees campaign to alleviate problems between major employers and the ing] activities. Maybe there is employees explaining the changes who use it. with overcrowding as a result of leadership of the Port Authority,” something more broad-based we and reiterating how to view pay He said that employees for service cuts. Nordenberg said. can all participate in.” advice online. whom the lack of computer access Chancellor Mark Nordenberg Work-study and undergradu- presents a problem should contact touched on public transportation Senate Council Student groups ate student workers are not Payroll to work out a solution, in his Jan. 19 University Update, In addition to a discussion at Molly Stieber, president of included in the change, nor are adding that no one had contacted calling it an “area of major con- the Jan. 25 Faculty Assembly (see the Student Government Board, employees who are paid biweekly, his office about that potential issue cern. When the federal govern- Feb. 3 University Times), virtually reported to Senate Council that said Payroll director Daniel Jef- during the transition. “We plan ment refused to approve the state’s every report at the Feb. 2 Senate SGB had established an ad hoc freys. Union, temporary workers on having a computer available controversial plan to toll Interstate Council meeting expressed con- transportation and safety com- and part-time non-exempt staff at the Payroll office and there are 80, that left a huge gap, estimated cern about the effects of the cuts mittee. “We’ll be able to use that also are excluded from the change. other public access computers on by some to be nearly $500 million, on employees and students and on as well as other resources around Although he could not rule campus,” he said. in proposed funding for public Pitt’s ability to deliver high-quality campus to get students involved out the possibility that more Additional information on transportation statewide.” education. and aware and deal collectively employees could be phased into paperless pay statements is posted Temporary, one-time relief Senate President Michael with the issue, by really inform- the paperless system, Jeffreys at www.bc.pitt.edu/payroll. from an influx of $45 million Pinsky said, “We also are con- CONTINUED ON PAGE 7 said there are no plans to do so —Kimberly K. Barlow n 1 U N I V E R S I T Y TIMES L E T T E R S U N I V E R S I T Y S E N A T E More on evaluation of department chairs MM A TA T E RT S /T Nathan E HersheyR S To the editor: about the process: He insisted that I do not blame him, more than Monitoring women’s progress Anybody who read the article faculty members know about it and I blame myself. There must be by Irene H. Frieze and Kacey Marra on the Faculty Assembly meeting are contacted for the evaluation nothing more irresistible — for While women now make up more than 50 percent of students debate over department chair of chairs and/or deans according an administrator — than to be here and at universities across the United States, women faculty rep- evaluations (see Feb.