Ok so I love the Ohio Bobcats more than anyone, but I'm pretty mad at the university, and John Groce in general. John Groce was paid $355,000 in salary and bonuses this season. According to the Athens Messenger Groce was also offered a raise that would have put him up to $500,000 annually. After Ohio's history making trek to the Sweet 16, Illinois offered Groce $1.2 million. I have no problem with paying coaches who make things happen, but the problem is that this more pay than any female faculty at the university makes. I'm not trying to get all feminist on here, (but I could) but these are the facts. Pam Benoit, the Vice President and Provost, is second in line at the university. Benoit is in charge of the university's finances and holds a key role in shaping the university's priorities. This makes her the second most influential person at Ohio University. Despite this her base salary is $250,000 per year with a $15,000 expense allowance. Added together she still receives about $90,000 less than John Groce and about $235,000 less than the university was reportedly offering Groce to keep him in Athens.
At a college that is facing a potential $5 million shortfall, and that is that is talking about raising tuition 3.5 percent in the next year, is it smart to spend that much more on a coach than a top administrator? I'm not talking about killing the athletic budget. I love going to a District I college that is eligible for bowl games, as well as March Madness, but I don't think that we can put the burden on students while athletics get's a free pass. 75 percent of the athletic budget comes from student fees. While students are paying more for tuition, the budget for athletics and their administration has also risen. And despite the money coming in, Ohio is still being sited for not being compliant with Title IX because of discrepancies in funding and facilities.
I also have a problem with the university paying less to women employees than it does to men. According to the Provost's Women's Report, in the 2010-2011 school year, women were paid less at the university in every occupational type. This should not be acceptable to students or the administration. While many may argue that Title IX may be unfair to men's sports because football and basketball both bring more money into the school, no such case can be had when it comes to the salaries of school administration. The university paying women faculty members less than their male counterparts seems to be without reason. While John Groce's salary from Ohio University has been in headlines because of his recent depart, what is not being shown is how his pay is only a part of a larger problem at the university.
