THE ISSUE: First Lady Mary Easley received an 88 percent increase in salary on June 30.
OUR OPINION: This questionable use of University funds is not in the best interests of students and taxpayers.
THE SOLUTION: The University must make all financial decisions transparent and reviewable by tax and fee payers and be held accountable for any mismanagement of these funds.
Mary Easley, wife of Governor Mike Easley, senior lecturer and executive-in-residence in the provost’s office, received an 88 percent increase in her salary on June 30.
This is but the latest in a series of questionable uses of taxpayer money. These include: the governor and first lady’s $170,000 trip to Italy to encourage tourism; the first lady’s $109,000 overseas cultural exchange trips; the recycling program manager who was fired June 3 for spending $161,233 on trips to places across the nation; and Patsy Christian, hospital director who spent $571.98 on a portrait of herself for the Central Regional Hospital.
Whether this is part of a wider pattern of indecorous use of public funds is of no consequence. The question on many minds is now “where is the money to pay for this raise going to come from?”
It does not matter if state taxpayers foot the bill for Easley’s raise or if student fees cover the costs of this salary increase. The University must now be transparent in explaining the justification for this salary change and be held accountable for any improprieties that may lie behind it.
Both Easley and the provost’s office have declined to provide a thorough explanation of the pay raise. This is unacceptable. Students should be informed of any financial costs that may end up being passed on to them via taxes, fees or tuition increases.
Ironically enough, Gov. and Mrs. Easley both attributed her employment at the University as public service. Perhaps they should live up to their bold, selfless words and truly make the sacrifices that bettering the community would ask of them. There are others who choose positions at this University making the sacrifice of public service, ranging from class lecturers to program organizers.
Out of fairness to the other public servants at N.C. State, who are, on average, getting a three percent raise, and in keeping with the ideals of serving the community for the greater good, University officials should reconsider this exceedingly large pay raise for Mrs. Easley.
