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On Campus

New to StarNet - university payroll databases

06/29/2007 06:18 PM
eswedlund

Through state public records requests, the Arizona Daily Star has obtained payroll information for the University of Arizona and Arizona State University and is presenting the data to readers in searchable online databases.
As state employees, the salary information for university personnel is public record, so taxpayers know how their money is being spent.
All of the information is presented from data provided by the universities, current through 2006. You can search by last name, first name, title, department and/or salary.

Back
  1. This is irresponsible and unethical journalism. This serves no legitimate purpose for the public good. All workers, public or private sector, deserve reasonable privacy regarding their finances and other personal information. The Star appears to be doing this only “because it can”. Please rethink this “feature” and remove it.
    Howard    06/30/2007 07:49 AM    #
  2. Howard has it exactly right. Most employees at the University know their salaries are a matter of record, and if they really care, they have researched their status. This public tongue-wagging by the star has no value, and will create tremendous harm to departments. Easy access to this information will create discord and resentment between all levels of faculty and staff. I dare the star to do the same with its payroll information.
    Edward    06/30/2007 08:03 AM    #
  3. It doesn’t work with Opera – I hate it when they make you use IE
    Patrick ONeill    06/30/2007 08:17 AM    #
  4. I agree with Howard, this is unethical. Regardless if it is public record, it is not journalism, this is just plain outrageous. What did the state employees do to deserve this? So many internal issues this could cause. I just can’t believe this is news that you want to share with everyone. It is just not right.
    Tina
    T    06/30/2007 08:34 AM    #
  5. If the star wanted to publish the salaries of department heads or administrators, fine, go ahead. They can take it. But what good does it do to find out that you are the lowest paid employee in the department, or that Amy make $2000 less than Kelly? You have opened a hornet’s nest with this posting. Shame on the star. I am very disappointed. You need to start thinking before you engage your big mouths.
    charles    06/30/2007 08:58 AM    #
  6. There’s no story here. This is not journalism. Yes, the salaries of state employees are public record for those that want to make the effort to check them. But for a newspaper to provide what is just a gossip column is irresponsible journalism.

    If there were some point of interest about some particular salaries or a comparative study of UA vs. other universities, then perhaps there is a story.

    The Star could publish all sorts of links to information about the public that is public record, but what’s the point unless it serves some public good, as perhaps a link to the addresses of sex offenders may. Public record is not always best used as posted record, and such careless use of public records by papers could start a public movement to limit public records to the public.

    The Star is devolving into a gossip rag for nosy neighbors. Can’t Swedlund find a significant story on that vast campus to write about.

    Shame on Swedlund and the Star for the inability to print stories that have a point.
    citizen    06/30/2007 09:26 AM    #
  7. Has it ever occurred to any of you at the Star why companies do not let everyone know what each other’s salaries are? Does the Star reveal to its employees everyone’s salary? Regarding the publicly funded U of A, you could have published salary ranges for a given category, and then list how many people at the University are in each category. But to publish names sets up internal competitions and resentment that are not healthy for a productive work environment, as any manager should know. Even though this information is technically available to the public, the Star is not compelled to publish it. Rather than serving the public good, you have done a disservice.
    Amy Phillips    06/30/2007 09:26 AM    #
  8. Completely ballsy and uncaring of the Star, Rather typical though of the Star and their crack team of “journalist’s”.

    I suppose the only real motivation behind this scheme was to truly humiliate the employees of these Universities. They are perfectly aware of the fact that the President/Dean/Dept.Head makes way more than they can ever hope to. Now, they get there noses rubbed in it in front of the city – and they also can get mocked for just how little they make.

    Do you really think Shelton’s going to pore through the database, and be alarmed at the vast discrepancies?

    Sure, right about the same time the Star becomes a real newspaper.
    Patrick    06/30/2007 09:58 AM    #
  9. A real scoop would be for someone at the Star parent company to leak the salaries of all Star employees and their bosses. Then maybe the public would have some understanding of why there is such a paucity of good investigative reporting about real problems and stories in Tucson and environs.
    citizen    06/30/2007 11:18 AM    #
  10. Today, from the above posts, we learn of the maturity level at the moneypit, snakepit commonly referred to as “UA.” Go ‘cats!
    name    06/30/2007 01:05 PM    #
  11. Although these records are public, this is certainly being done in poor taste.

    And if you’re going to create a database of university salaries, then go ahead and add every state, county, and city agency, along with every school district.
    Derek    06/30/2007 01:21 PM    #
  12. “And if you’re going to create a database of university salaries, then go ahead and add every state, county, and city agency, along with every school district.”

    Why?
    name    06/30/2007 01:45 PM    #
  13. I am embarrassed for the Star’s decision to publish this. I recently graduated from the University of Arizona with a degree in journalism, in which much was covered about how to gain access to public information and records—but this clearly serves no purpose other than to go ‘Ok, well that guy makes this much,’ or for an employee to go ‘Oh, I didn’t know I made more than him.’ I understand that in many ways, it is our right to know how much these employees make…but there are more important things your newspaper could be doing.

    Where are the investigative reports on how sex offenders are evaluated by only a 15-page report to determine their “level of risk” before they are released back into society to rape and molest again?

    Where are your investigative reports on conflicting interests of goverment officials?

    More importantly, have you ever considered doing an investigative report on our criminal justice system?? What about how our money is being spent within the courts?

    These are the things that really matter, where investigative journalism and obtaining records otherwise out of view from the public really matter. But no of course not…these things are not being done and they haven’t been done for quite some time because it takes real, quality, ethical WORK.
    Laurie    06/30/2007 03:26 PM    #
  14. This is a wonderful resource! As a public entity, salaries at the UA are public record, and as a societal watchdog, the Star has a responsibility to ensure that the public has access to such information. Job WELL DONE!
    Jordan    06/30/2007 03:27 PM    #
  15. What, exactly, is the point of publishing this? “Because it’s there?”

    Sheesh!
    SKD    06/30/2007 04:16 PM    #
  16. Great stuff! Keep up the good work…

    Check coach salary data, as lets say opposed to say someone that does something like asst prof, its a total riot.
    Peter    06/30/2007 05:11 PM    #
  17. I’d love to see something like this for Pima County and City of Tucson employees as well. BTW…I work at the U of A so my salary is out there for everyone to see.
    Kevin    06/30/2007 05:46 PM    #
  18. OLSON ROBERT L HEAD COACH, MEN’S BASKETBALL ADMIN/ATHLETICS $714,567
    STOOPS MICHAEL J HEAD COACH, MEN’S FOOTBALL ADMIN/ATHLETICS $663,717

    Wish I played basketball!!!!!
    Kay    06/30/2007 06:31 PM    #
  19. Gee, if someone steals a person’s identiy based on the info that you made public, are you responsible for any resulting lawsuit?
    Mort    06/30/2007 08:29 PM    #
  20. This is just bad form.
    K    06/30/2007 09:02 PM    #
  21. It is an insult to anyone with any sense of decency to publish what some office worker makes. What the hell good does that do? It is also totally irresponsible. The UA is what the second or the highest employer in this town? How many of those staff, just regular folk earning a living could be comprimised because of this? There are all kinds of situations people get into in life, like a messy divorce etc. perhaps a relative of a police officer, something like that. Did you cover all the bases on this? You know what if some UA staff member or their family or any ‘state employee’ gets hurt because of this I will blame this scum bag Eric Swedlind and his yellow rag paper!
    OldNed    06/30/2007 09:03 PM    #
  22. Time for the Newspaper Guild/CWA to (finally) organize the Star and then publish the rates of pay won by collective bargaining.
    Doris    06/30/2007 09:25 PM    #
  23. I can’t believe there are 1,023 people who work for the U of A who make 100k+ a year. What a huge number. Looks like I am in the wrong business. I guess I need to go back to school, get my Masters, and teach far left b.s., like most professors.
    Marc    06/30/2007 10:27 PM    #
  24. Also, the Star just made every single public school teacher feel like absolute crap, now knowing how little they make versus these instructors in the college level.

    I am not saying these 1023 folks don’t deserve that pay, because I am sure they worked there butt off to get where they are, but I now know why college is so damn expensive.

    I guess all that time I spent smoking in the boys room is really haunting me now, lol!
    Marc    06/30/2007 10:45 PM    #
  25. It’s our tax dollars paying these salaries people. Don’t you kind of want to know where it’s going? And those of you that think the Star is some big, evil horrible beast, you’re terribly naive. The Republic published this exact same database including NAU two days earlier, so the information was out there. The Star is just playing catch up in this competitive industry. Oh, and the difference between a private organization like the Star publishing its salaries publishing those of a public, tax-funded organization like UA is pretty obvious, methinks.
    Jered    07/01/2007 10:03 AM    #
  26. So this isn’t even original work….
    Doris    07/01/2007 01:33 PM    #
  27. Marc,

    You better go get more than a masters. If you want to make more by being a full professor, you’re going to need much more than a masters, try a PhD. I guess right wing idiots don’t know that.

    And education in Arizona is still among the absolute cheapest in the nation. Learn the facts before you post bozo.
    Chris    07/01/2007 04:47 PM    #
  28. Since it seems like the purpose of publishing this was to stir the pot, there was no mention of the thousands of positions, including all the coaches, that are funded with private dollars.

    So anyone bellyaching about Lute Olson’s salary need not worry, donors pay his paycheck.
    Derek    07/01/2007 06:07 PM    #
  29. Hmmm, can’t find several of the medical school chairmen’s salaries….
    yougottabekidding    07/01/2007 09:25 PM    #
  30. Interesting time to publish all this (now) outdated payroll information from last year…the new fiscal year starts July 1st, maybe the Star will waste some more time publishing the current payroll information…but I certainly hope not.
    Worthless    07/01/2007 10:40 PM    #
  31. As an Alumni I am excited to know that other universities trying to steal our prized faculty now have a list of professor salaries. Great work! Why don’t we post the salaries of AZ Star reporters as the next BRAKING NEWS story. Gotta love blog reporters! And your the higher education reporter? oxymoron
    Justin    07/02/2007 09:46 AM    #
  32. Anyone working for the State of Arizona is paid by tax payers. Their salaries are public knowledge. I myself have gone to the library to research salaries based on jobs I was applying for at the UofA. All you have to do is go to the library and request the information. Any librarian will help you.
    Azstarnet just saved you a trip. People should get over it. This is nothing new. The ability to find out that information has been around for many years.
    Ailen    07/02/2007 09:51 AM    #
  33. I object to the StarNet publication of University payroll databases.
    Concerned    07/02/2007 11:21 AM    #
  34. I’m grateful this has been made even more easily accessible if for only one reason. I hope my new co-worker compares her salary to mine. I’d like her to know how under-valued I am. With that information she might think twice about falling for our supervisor’s act. He’s good too. I can’t buy groceries with verbal praise. It’s too bad all that time he was telling me how great I am he wasn’t taking the time to learn how to avoid mismanaging our funds.
    Thanks Star!    07/02/2007 11:37 AM    #
  35. Correction, Alien, NOT everyone is paid by the state. Many are funded by “soft money” (auxiliary or grant funding). The tax payers have nothing to do with that.

    While it’s true these are public records there is no need to list the names much less full names with this information. NONE.

    Nothing good will come of this article or having this information available. Actually it’s not even an article at that.
    very disappointed    07/02/2007 11:39 AM    #
  36. Wow- thanks for confirming that I make about half of what the males in my same position here earn- that really helped my motivation. I could have done without that in my head. I already owe enough on student loans that I will never be able to pay them off if I live to be 200, and now I see that others in other departments are having no problem at all- gee thanks for my rotten day. I am going to shove all of this garbage out of my head and go on to do the best job I possibly can, because that is what I do every day. The pay is not whay I stay here. It may finally be why I leave one day- because it does frankly leave a lot to be desired,especially if you are female, but the reason I stay is for the people we help. They need us and if we aren’t there to do it, for much, much less than private industry saleries, I might add, then there would be no one for them. I and others like me put in many, many hours of free ovetime (what is termed an exempt position here- it means you work for free after 40 hours of pay)to get our jobs done and we take pride in doing them. Don’t give any flack to the departments who can and do pay the people who work for them good wages, they earn it and then some. So do the ones who don’t get paid so well.We can take the same pride in our jobs, even if our departments can’t do the same thing for us.
    jaded    07/02/2007 11:46 AM    #
  37. You people are such little babies.

    Wah-wah.
    Deal with it. It is the reality.

    Or maybe that’s why you work in neverland that is a college campus—so you can avoid it. Oops. Your bubble has burst.

    You people are a big joke.
    vinny    07/02/2007 12:35 PM    #
  38. UA should have posted this info at its website:

    “As state employees, the salary information for university personnel is public record, so taxpayers know how their money is being spent.”
    name    07/02/2007 01:57 PM    #
  39. Just wanted to say that not all the salaries of the university employees are paid for by the state. Yes, it is public record what employees salaries are. However, a good percentage of the professors/graduates/staff salaries are paid out of grants/auxilary funds/etc. If the source of funding isn’t included in this information then the taxpayers aren’t getting a good picture of how their money is being spent.
    emanuel    07/02/2007 03:01 PM    #
  40. I think that this is ridiculous. I cannot beleive that people are so concerned with how much University employees make. What about athletics? Our football coach makes over $600,000 and hasnt had a winning season since he has been here. Also, what about employees that arent paid by state taxes or state money? How come that information is public? There may be a good side to this as well, maybe it will show the state of Arizona and everybody in it how little support staff and all the other non-faculty university employees make. The universities could not do anything without all the technicians and other support staff that do the grunt work that is required to keep laboratories running and offices running and everything else associated with the university.
    Cory    07/02/2007 03:12 PM    #
  41. Data is not news. Individual salaries in the context of some other story might be. In either case, one’s salary doesn’t say anything about the value received to the taxpayers for an employee’s compensation. A $200K salary may seem high unless you know that the employee brings in a million dollars in grant money. Any salary is too high if the person is a lazy worker.

    What’s the point of the Star publishing this? Are you expecting Arizonians to have voter referendums each fall to determine everyone’s salary? (You know how we love our referendums.)
    Mark    07/02/2007 03:37 PM    #
  42. I am the lowest paid person at the UA with my title. And I have a college degree! So for those of you who act like all gov’t employees are swilling at the public trough I have no idea what you are talking about.
    dl    07/02/2007 04:22 PM    #
  43. If only part of one’s salary is paid by the State (taxpayers), then the remaining portion is not public record and should not have been revealed.

    University Physicians earn a good part of their salary through clinics and surgeries (HMO reimbursements) – they only get their check through UofA because they are also faculty.

    I hope someone at UPH realizes this and sues the Star for releasing private information.
    shouldhavebeenalawyer    07/02/2007 05:15 PM    #
  44. This is another shining example of the problems with the journalism industry today. I guess nobody could get any shots of Paris Hilton coming out of a bathroom this week. While I agree that this information is indeed public record, publishing it in a database searchable by name has far more potential for causing problems than it does to inform the public. “We cannot make good news out of bad practice.” -Edward R. Murrow
    Eric Pennock    07/03/2007 08:25 AM    #
  45. This is public information that the UA purposely makes it very difficult to find. Usually requests for information are based on position and not a name; but either way it is all public information. The protection of employees & their personal information is not the goal of this UA behavior (my opinion based on my experience and that of others here at the UA).
    It is more about covering inequities and employee abuse (too close to retirement, making too much money,new managers wanting to hire their own, etc.)

    UA financial & equity policies sound great. In reality, at the department/division level its practices are loathsome.

    Having this information available may help the less fortunate here at the UA.
    --public information means just that    07/03/2007 08:25 AM    #
  46. Did anyone even consider the fact that publishing information with the detail you provide on the internet has already put THOUSANDS of people at a higher risk for identity theft? Isn’t the State of Arizona considered to have one of the highest rates for identity theft? Now we (those names that have been published for the world to see) will have to spend more of our salaries to protect ourselves against identity theft.
    dumb founded    07/03/2007 08:28 AM    #
  47. This information is, indeed, public record. I work at the University, my information is in the database.

    I find it interesting that, due to a rather large computer security breach earlier this year, the University is now implementing security standards regarding the “storing of personally identifying information.” I’m not sure where the law would stand on that requirement versus the public disclosure of records.

    I would also like to hear the story of why the information was published—the motivation, I believe, goes far beyond wanting to “educate the taxpayers.” Not that I believe that it’s anything sinister on the Star’s part.

    My issue is not with the Star publishing this information. The law permits it. My issue is with the law, with the legislature and with their apparent failure to understand how useful the providing of this information in a manner that allows identity thieves to target specific individuals is to criminals. (One might argue that the Star was irresponsible but the law favors disclosure—though it would be interesting to see how the current Federal Supreme Court would view such a disclosure and disclosure laws.) Arizona has the rather dubious distinction of being number one in the nation for identity theft.

    Perhaps a compromise would be to provide the position (and its salary) without the employee’s name? Though it seems a bit late for that.

    Note also, for those who are critical of the University, that the vast rank and file (that are often accused of the political bias that professors often exhibit—whether they share it or not) are, in fact, underpaid compared to the private sector. Something to consider before expounding on the waste in state government. From my view at least, the taxpayers are getting a bargain for the talent that certain legislators garner so many votes by disparaging.

    There’s also the issue, from the legislature’s and the Arizona Board of Regents’ position, as to what this will do for retention and recruitment, I suppose.

    All in all, I would urge the legislature to provide some protection to state employees. I, personally, see no value to providing the names of employees. It is relevant for taxpayers to know that there are six staffers with X title earning X dollars per year. It is not relevant—unless it is a matter under adjudication in a court of law—to know that Joe Smith earns X dollars per year.

    A provocative act. Perhaps some good will come of it. (Though, personally, I doubt it.)
    Matt    07/03/2007 08:57 AM    #
  48. Eric Pennock:

    Edward R. Murrow was a narcissist and personally helped ruin journalism. Reading all these naval gazers responses, yanking them from their self-loathing and delusions about how special they are (not really)...is proving hilarious.

    Thanks for the laughs jokers!
    vinny    07/03/2007 09:22 PM    #
  49. Vinny:

    I would have to disagree with you. Edward R. Murrow is the most distinguished journalist of all time. He helped form the TV News format and was one of the most critical parts of stopping McCarthy’s Witch Hunt. He was also very outspoken on the media’s role in social responsibility and honesty. While I never knew him personally, to decide whether or not he was a narcissist, I know he willing stepped back from the lime light at CBS’s request as his outspokenness made him (and therefore CBS) many enemies.
    I’m also not sure how your accusations of state employees being self-loathing and having false beliefs of being special make any more sense than your odd position that they stare at ships. ;)

    Good night and good luck
    -Eric Pennock
    Eric Pennock    07/13/2007 09:32 AM    #
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About 'On Campus'


Star higher education reporter Eric Swedlund blogs about the latest education news affecting the University of Arizona and Pima Community College.

Questions and Tips

Got a question, tip? E-mail Eric at eswedlund@azstarnet.com.