outsourcing physical plant? - USM Forum -- Message Board

Date: Dec 4, 2005

RE: outsourcing physical plant?

Date: Dec 4, 2005

rose garden wrote:

what are the chances financial services will be oursourced....real accountants, gaap, no funny money....a REAL CFO

Rose Garden, would you like to discuss the qualifications of the staff members of the Controller's Office?

Date: Dec 4, 2005

Amy Young wrote:

buffet wrote: Are students who live on campus still required to buy meal tickets?? If so, are the meal tickets accepted at all campus eateries, e.g. do you have to eat lunch at commons are is the meal ticket good at Wimpie's in the Hub? I notice Greg wants all citizens of H'burg to come on campus to buy from bookstore and eat...are there bargains at bookstore? is the Aramark food outstanding?? (what about this power plant deal?? wine list?) I don't know why someone would want to come here on campus. I tried to use my Barnes and Nobles discount card here and they wouldn't take it. Amy Young

Amy, you already receive a discount (10%) on everything for personal use, and a 25% discount on departmental purchases. So, of course they wouldn't take your discount card. Your not going to receive a discount on top of a discount anywhere.

Date: Dec 4, 2005

All, just to clarify, the bookstore is required to maintain the same profit margins as they did when "in-house." And, yes, compliance is in the contract and audited. B&N hasn't raised the prices - publishers have (with the help of new editions and bundling).

Food is similar - the price of meals in the commons is the same also. The only thing that seems more expensive are the new retail locations. They are priced the same as the establishments in town.

Date: Dec 4, 2005

We have to be realistic. Everything we buy comes here by truck. Trucks burn gas. When fuel costs rise, so does the cost of everything, books, food, you name it. It 's not a total explanation, of course, but it has to be taken into account.

Date: Dec 4, 2005

CPA wrote:

rose garden wrote:
what are the chances financial services will be oursourced....real accountants, gaap, no funny money....a REAL CFO
Rose Garden, would you like to discuss the qualifications of the staff members of the Controller's Office?

yes, start with the CFO and his background in higher education accounting and financial management

Date: Dec 4, 2005

rose garden wrote:

CPA wrote: rose garden wrote: what are the chances financial services will be oursourced....real accountants, gaap, no funny money....a REAL CFO Rose Garden, would you like to discuss the qualifications of the staff members of the Controller's Office? yes, start with the CFO and his background in higher education accounting and financial management

No, try responding to my question - the many members of the Controller's Office and their handle of gaap. That's where you started. After that we'll move up to the CFO.

Date: Dec 5, 2005

Outsourcing?

The unsung heroes of the physical plant have shown time and again their loyalty to the university only to be repaid with losing their jobs and/or pay and benefit cuts. All this goes on at the same time some upper level administrators and athletic officials receive pay increases of about 50,000$ in one year!

After Hurricane Katrina hit these dedicated employees showed their true colors by coming in to work to get the university up and running, even though their own homes were often in need of repair. Three months after this disaster the administration, Lassen in particular, but I am sure this is with Thames’ blessing, is rewarding them with job losses. Hiring instead companies that have employees with little loyalty to this community or the university. Why is this being done? Is it a “win-win” situation, or are their potential “kick-backs” or just another opportunity for Thames to destroy the USM community? If this is truly a “win-win” situation let the employees involved have the time to weigh the merits and then voice, vote preferably, their opinions.

The faculty and other staff members need to demand a thorough airing of these choices and the employees involved right to vote.

Sincerely,
long-time faculty member

Date: Dec 5, 2005

Outsourcing of Physical Plant and Custodial Services have been on the table since the Bookstore was outsourced.

Yes, this could save the university money. Yes, it will be more costly to the departments on campus.

No, Mr. Lassen does not care!

Once again, I pose a question to Higher Administration: Where are the funds still being generated from the classes formerly offered through Continuing Education going? Some departments/schools received funding from Continuing Education for classes taught through CICE. These same departments depended on these funds to be able to operate for the year and provide additional funding for faculty travel for presentations, research and continuing education in order to meet tenure and promotion requirements. Maybe Mr. Lassen needs to turn loose of the university's purse strings and give back to the areas generating these funds.

I would like to encourage Faculty Senate to pose this question to Higher Administration. If you need confirmation of the revenues lost to the academic areas, contact the areas which offered credit-hour courses through Continuing Education. A couple of places you can begin: Business, English, and HPR.