Case Study #2: College Advancement
According to MHCC’s website, “The Office of College Advancement is here to help promote Mt. Hood Community College. Cassie McVeety, is the media liaison for the College. The staff writes press releases to promote MHCC programs, keeps in contact with local media and writes and designs MHCC print and promotional publications. The staff also guides the College in its marketing efforts. There are many ways we can assist you in marketing your program or event. If you would like to produce a flyer, brochure or other promotional item, your first call should always be to our office.”
After digging into CA’s budget for the past four years, it’s interesting to note that salaries (not including benefits) have more than doubled (206%).
This year, College Advancement, whose stated purpose is to promote and market the college, will spend less than a quarter of what it took to promote MHCC back in 2007-08 (23%).
Shouldn’t a staff that has more than doubled its cost be producing MORE marketing efforts?
Or can MHCC no longer afford to market itself because the budget is consumed by salaries?
So, the Office of College Advancement has a director of the foundation (Sunny Klever) and a director of communications (Maggie Huffman). They have Barbara, who is the secretary (and presumably does most of the work there anyway), and two graphic designers. What the hell do they need a Vice President for? Why is a VP needed to oversee just 5 employees?
This is such a joke. Did you read the MHCC’s website update on non economic issues?
It’s laughable that the board is presuming to be more qualified to hire professionals than the faculty who should have a lot of say in who gets hired. The faculty show their commitment day in and out by doing the work of 1.5 or 2 instructors (at least mine do), and the board…8 VOTED in people with a weird variety of backgrounds and maybe some skills (skills that are 100% when it comes to spending tax payers and student dollars on destroying fabulous, in place, functioning programs that turn out amazing professionals to PDX, and Oregon)…way to go.
I’m so happy that I’m starting to hear the voting community of Gresham finally hear it, and get it. So far the folks I’ve run into have learned what’s going on are appaled.
It is interesting to note the volume of employment advertisements MHCC has placed on a national level. For example, check out the Washington Post help wanted section. This is but one example of many. These ads are not one-line ads; they are quite large. The cost to run print in a major newspaper is usually very expensive…