BOT Betrayed University By Supporting Moeser's Plan to Pay Ehringhaus

What is the UNC Board of Trustees thinking?

Not only has (Chancellor James) Moeser undermined the trust of North Carolinians by agreeing to pay (University legal counsel) Susan Ehringhaus an additional two years salary after leaving her post, he has done so with BOT approval.

Defending Moeser's decision, BOT Chairman Tim Burnett said, "All the facts don't make it into the news stories. We understand what the chancellor did, and we support him."

Well Mr. Burnett, show me the facts!

This is what I know:

FACT: Ehringhaus will be paid approximately $376,000 after she leaves her post.

Eight of these months she will not even be working at UNC.

The remainder of the time she will be teaching classes at the School of Law.

But the law school will not pay any of her salary.

FACT: More than 230 UNC employees are paid under $20,000 a year.

Moeser effectively gave Ehringhaus 20 years' worth of service from these campus employees.

FACT: As a UNC employee, I live under the constant threat of losing my job. I have not received a pay raise in two years. My benefits have been reduced. I am made to feel guilty if I order supplies. Several of my co-workers have lost their jobs. Ostensibly, this is all because UNC doesn't have any money.

FACT: As a state university, UNC is heavily subsidized by North Carolina taxpayers.

It's a travesty for UNC to pay Ehringhaus two years after leaving her post -- even from private funds -- especially when North Carolina is facing a significant budget shortfall. It certainly doesn't appear that UNC is as poor as it has been crying.

As a UNC employee and alumnus, I am outraged -- both by Moeser's decision and the seemingly puppet BOT.

But then, I don't have all the facts.

Dan Farrell
Class of 1995