Ohio Governor Strickland and Ohio Board of Regents Chancellor Eric Fingerhut pushed a "compact" to cut costs and hold the line on tuition.
Part of those proposals included pooling teaching resources, buying energy, providing computer technology services. Job cuts came into play.....early retirement was accepted by 135 employees, and 106 positions were abolished through attrition. Salaries were frozen for Administrative Staff. Employee Benefits were restructured. Major building projects were halted.
But it seems somebody forget to look at possible wasteful spending in the construction and maintenance of facilities - a cost-saving measure that not only is not painful, but of benefit to the facilities and the public.
Long-term cost savings and maintenance fees go down, life-cycle costing goes down, and public safety goes up.
Take a look at the New Jersey State Commission of Investigation Report, "Waste and Abuse in School Roofing Projects", and it'll start to make sense.....
http://www.state.nj.us/sci/school.shtm
Who could it hurt to look at cutting unnecessary overspending in maintenance and repairs first - and cut out the non-competitively priced and sole-sourced construction products that do not affect the actual process of educating and inspiring the young, the cornerstone of making our country no. 1 in the world markets?
How many teacher's jobs were lost due to wasteful spending in facilities?
According to one of the University of Cincinnati Board of trustees, they were creating internal structures to stop overspending....and help efficiencies.
Well, if that was the case, they missed their objective in one of the most hidden areas of overspending in education out there:
Roofs.
Here's the latest example: Proof of the non-competitive sole-sourced roofing construction products presently being used in bid documents at the University of Cincinnati.
Roofing, by the way, is just one of many products used to siphon off education funding in enormous profits - and unnecessarily so.
The University of Cincinnati
CAS Science Building Roof Replacement
Project No. 08-1123
Bid Date: July 1, 2008
Projected Cost: $ 350,000
Bid Amounts: $344,972; $374,000; $420,392; $429,500
No. of Squares: Unknown
Type of Roof: Cold-Process Built-Up Roofing
Roofing Product Sole-Sourced: Tremco
Copy of Specification Page showing Product Spec:
The University of Cincinnati
DAAP Foundry Roof Replacement
Project No. 08-1158
Bid Date: July 10, 2008
Projected Cost: $ 90,000
Bid Amounts: $ 87,634; $ 92,900; $ 96,566; $ 96,952
No. of Squares: Unknown
Type of Roof: Cold-Process Built-Up Roofing
Roofing Product Sole-Sourced: Tremco
Copy of Specification Page showing Product Spec:
The University of Cincinnati
Genome Research Institute (GRI) A & G Roof Replacement
Project No. 08-1338
Bid Date: August 5, 2008
Projected Cost: $ 485,000 to $658,000
No. of Squares: Unknown
Type of Roof: Cold-Process Built-Up Roofing
Roofing Product Sole-Sourced: Tremco
Copy of Specification Page showing Product Spec:
WCPO TV News Articles:
"Tuition Freeze Pushed at University of Cincinnati"
April 13, 2007
http://www.wcpo.com/content/news/fresh/story.aspx?content_id=D69EAB02-AA0C-4628-B2AE-A82614C42C74&gsa=true
"Job Cuts Part of UC's $27 Million in Savings"
May 22, 2007
http://www.wcpo.com/content/news/fresh/story.aspx?content_id=1ABED6AC-302B-4ABC-B2F8-0260F32AABF5&gsa=true
"UC Announces New Budget"
July 17, 2007
http://www.wcpo.com/content/news/fresh/story.aspx?content_id=7F1DF470-470C-401D-A289-5272EABC9B08&gsa=true
