The fact that 146 employees across the university who already make at least $100,000 annually received an average of $18,400 per raise wasn't included in any press release — or anywhere on the university's website for that matter — doesn't really surprise us.
These university officials calling for cutbacks as they dish out raises to some of the highest paid administrators without telling anyone is downright shady.
USC reasons that these raises pay administrators who perform duties above and beyond their job titles and responsibilities. It stresses that giving bonuses and new responsibilities to already-hired faculty saves money over hiring new employees.
OK, fine, that may be true. But what extra responsibility could be so stressful that it merits almost a 30-percent increase in salary of the USC School of Medicine department chair? What has the provost's office done so well in the past four years that the top three administrators working in it deserve more than $90,000 combined in raises?
USC, there are tons of projects you could have spent this money on. Dorms, scholarships, campus improvements — there are literally hundreds of things our school needs. Quietly shelling out cash to our top paid administrators isn't one of them.