UI spending money on wrong employees

Last year, Gov. Chet Culver demanded state expenditures be cut 10 percent across the board, as if all departments and all employees were equally deserving. He has left our public schools scrambling to balance their slashed budgets by cutting programs and releasing teachers and aides, putting our students in unenviable classroom conditions next fall.

Then why does the University of Iowa employ someone like Dr. Gary Humminghake for the outrageous salary of $332,509 in a position involving “research and overseeing staff” and “not seeing patients” (a blessing, after all). For some yet-unstated reason, he was on paid leave. He went into Chicago and made of fool of himself and the university; police say he stabbed himself and then falsely claimed he had been attacked.

The university has some wonderful, conscientious employees, but it is clear they need to consider releasing some of their “overseeing staff.” Do you know how many Sigourney teachers and aides could have been retained/hired, accessing that $332,509?

Lois Batchelder

Sigourney