$3,000 or more *smile* for a holiday Xmas party PER PERSON

[The Walk of the Penguin Mich]

Dec 5, 2016 14:16:03 GMT -5 shanendoah said:

The Walk of the Penguin Mich - My guess is, this is not being run by the University department, but run out of the department at the hospital.
There have been a number of FOIA requests in the last year or two regarding spending by the university that involved alcohol.
However, it sounds like this is not the first year this has happened, so I would guess that this is not news to the local newspapers.

And for the record, the new state budget specifically has tuition lowering over the next couple of years.

I know about the state budget lowering tuition, but they'd been increasing it up until then and it was getting a lot of publicity in the past.

Yeah, I can see an end run going through the hospital.   

[shanendoah]

The Walk of the Penguin Mich - I wish I could say that the state was the one raising the tuition. The state was not. The schools were. Now, the schools were raising tuition in response to getting less money from the state, and have to have permission from the state to do so, but they are actually the ones raising tuition.

Back for the 2013/14 budget cycle, the dollars from the state were once again reduced. WSU and a coalition of smaller colleges like Western said - that's fine, we'll just raise tuition again. That pissed off the state legislature which then passed a rule saying the state colleges could NOT raise tuition.
Meaning everyone was pissed off at the state legislature.

I am guessing that that is partly why the new budget (passed for the 15/16 biennium) has more money than previous cycles for the universities, but is also accompanied by a requirement to lower tuition. And that there is a commitment for additional funds coming back to the schools in the coming budget cycles with plans for the tuition to continue to fall.

[shanendoah]

Dec 5, 2016 14:25:48 GMT -5 The Walk of the Penguin Mich said:

Dec 5, 2016 14:16:03 GMT -5 shanendoah said:

The Walk of the Penguin Mich - My guess is, this is not being run by the University department, but run out of the department at the hospital.
There have been a number of FOIA requests in the last year or two regarding spending by the university that involved alcohol.
However, it sounds like this is not the first year this has happened, so I would guess that this is not news to the local newspapers.

And for the record, the new state budget specifically has tuition lowering over the next couple of years.

I know about the state budget lowering tuition, but they'd been increasing it up until then and it was getting a lot of publicity in the past.

Yeah, I can see an end run going through the hospital.   

And yeah, if Harborview's department of Neurosurgery has a $25k holiday event, no one is going to blink an eye. 

[HoneyBBQ]

shanendoah is more or less correct. We are all highly paid, obviously, and my spouse and I are low on the totem pole. Maybe I am just not a party person. I don't mind chipping in to events for all to attend (those who don't make as much as I do, etc) but I find the numerical value absurd. If it was $100 I might be in.  None of it is funded by the U. Obviously people pay into it though because they do it every year.

[shanendoah]

HoneyBBQ - I am with you that what they are asking folks to chip in is definitely absurd. There is a part of me that would be tempted to chip in just one year to see what you're actually getting. I mean - is this a sit down dinner at El Gaucho with a completely open bar (including wine cellar)? If I drank wine, it might be a bargain.

[shanendoah]

@anne81 - I want to be clear the I do not believe neurosurgery is the department Honey's spousal figure is in. I don't know exactly what department, but based on previous conversations, I don't think it's neurosurgery, but it was a good example of a high profile, high earning specialty. I am NOT trying to out their identities.

[HoneyBBQ]

Yes, I was concerned a bit in posting because powers of deduction are strong and there's not that much anonymity here. To some that I have revealed more person information to IRL, I'd hope that privacy is respected, thanks.

[zibazinski]

Dec 5, 2016 15:25:52 GMT -5 shanendoah said:

The Walk of the Penguin Mich - I wish I could say that the state was the one raising the tuition. The state was not. The schools were. Now, the schools were raising tuition in response to getting less money from the state, and have to have permission from the state to do so, but they are actually the ones raising tuition.

Back for the 2013/14 budget cycle, the dollars from the state were once again reduced. WSU and a coalition of smaller colleges like Western said - that's fine, we'll just raise tuition again. That pissed off the state legislature which then passed a rule saying the state colleges could NOT raise tuition.
Meaning everyone was pissed off at the state legislature.

I am guessing that that is partly why the new budget (passed for the 15/16 biennium) has more money than previous cycles for the universities, but is also accompanied by a requirement to lower tuition. And that there is a commitment for additional funds coming back to the schools in the coming budget cycles with plans for the tuition to continue to fall.

They tried that in Florida but the school everyone wants to attend simply tacked on a $500 fee per semester instead.

[Phoenix84]

Dec 1, 2016 12:47:32 GMT -5 HoneyBBQ said:

Dec 1, 2016 12:44:03 GMT -5 swamp said:

so they use the holiday party as a fundraiser? I'm ok with that, just be honest what it is.

Any money left over goes to the department, but it mostly covers the cost of the party itself. Is that considered a 'fundraiser?'

Must be one hell of a party.  Fully catered, open bar ect.

[shanendoah]

zibazinski - different states may have different rules. Here, the state universities and colleges can't add general fees without the legislature's approval/consent anymore than they can raise tuition without it. Schools/Colleges within a University (School of Medicine, College of Engineering, College of Education, etc) can sometimes add fees for students, but you do have to be able to say specifically what the students are getting for those fees. We have pretty strong oversight here. I know my department stopped charging lab fees for students in a class with a lab because as the technology changes, we couldn't be certain of costs year to year, and if we ever over-charged students, we could get in big trouble. Instead, we have some equipment they need that is treated like text books. They have to buy it individually. Now, we as a department buy it in bulk and charge them exactly what we pay per unit (no profit margin, unlike with the book store), but they are welcome to buy the same kits elsewhere if they want.

[8 Bit WWBG]

I could see some places also choosing Thursday hoping to increase attendance.  December is always packed.  Holiday concerts, recitals, whatever in addition to people's personal plans.

[NancysSummerSip]

Dec 1, 2016 12:51:24 GMT -5 NomoreDramaQ1015 said:

That must be one hell of a holiday party.

I suggest we YM-ers have a fundraiser so we can send $1k to Honey.   She needs to go and take photos/video so we can see what all this money is buying.

The cost of this thing sounds more like something one of Carl's family would do for a wedding than a holiday party. Sheesh...who spends like this for Christmas and expects employees to throw money around for it like logs into a bonfire?