Last month the vocal critics of the UW System in the state legislature had a fit over the results of an audit suggesting that UW profs are taking advantage of the state's sick leave program. Rep. Nass (R-Whitewater) said "The entire audit is proof that the Board of Regents and UW System administrators have failed to perform their managerial duties." Nass and others were suggesting that professors were abusing the program by piling up unused sick leave days and then cashing them out after retirement to use for health care coverage.
Today in the Journal Sentinel we find that "in the past 4 years, only two lawmakers have claimed sick time." Guess what: state lawmakers get to cash out the unused sick days just like the profs! Rep. Sheldon Wasserman (D-Milwaukee) opted not to introduce a bill to repeal the sick leave perk back in 2003 because he received "a very bipartisan, jaw-dropping stare" when he suggested it.
While the UW haters in the legislature will not let UW employees forget for a moment the details of every single benefit we might be eligible for, they never criticize their own lawmaker peers who claim ignorance of their own perks. According to the Journal Sentinel story, representatives Sinicki and Berceau missed a substantial amount of time at the Capitol because of sickness, yet each claims not to be aware that they were eligible for sick leave. Senator Mike Ellis has been in the legislature 36 years, has never claimed a sick day, is eligible for $104, 000 in benefits, yet claims he never was aware of the sick leave program.
Will this blatant hypocrisy result in less criticism of the UW from the legislature? Don't count on it. Our administrors and too many faculty suffer from a serious case of spinal weakness when it comes to dealing with legislative bullies, and bullies will always pick on those who allow it.
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1 comment:
Good catch, Tony!
It is nice to see some mainstream journalists doing their job and investigating the legislators inflammatory rhetoric!
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