Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.
Skip navigation

Fire Kimberly Miller

Add topic

Post

Re: Fire Kimberly Miller

Yes, consultants do bill themselves out for much more than employees. Having worked for a CPA firm in the past, in know a CPA may bill their time out for anywhere from $50-$100 an hour. A partner much more, maybe $125/hour and up. $125/hr based on a 40 work week, to keep things simple, would be $260,000/yr. That is twice or three times what the average accounting manager earns. Maybe twice for a controller depending on the size of the company. This guy was billing himself out for $300k/yr. Based on a 40 week, to keep things simple, thats $144/hr. I have known people that didn't want to be a "regular" employee. They made more money as consultants doing the same work.  When I lived in Georgia, I did some accounting consulting on the side. I billed myself out for about twice what I was making at my real job.

I've dealt with outside consultants of all kinds. They're expensive.

We don't know what the market rate for consultants like this are but it I can assure you I costs more than having them on the roster as an employee. Someone has to run the show in the interim. They found someone. It burns my ass to see the negative slant.


FAU - THE REAL SLEEPING GIANT
Back to the top

Post

Re: Fire Kimberly Miller

What was the Sentinel's take on the story?

President of the No Homers Club. Keepin' it real since 2001.
Back to the top

Post

Re: Fire Kimberly Miller

Thanks for explaining headline writing BMarkey.

OwlCountry can possibly shed some light on this too…

Back in the day (a few years ago) when I was the sports editor at the University Press, our adviser told us that in the real newspaper business, there are people that get paid to write headlines. They are meant to stand out.

IN GENERAL:
Kimberly's attention-getting $25,000 headline
or
"FAU hires interim research guru"

WHICH ONE IS GOING TO GET MORE READERS.

In the past, Kimberly has had some questionable lines in her stories. This isn't one of them…

I'm a proud lifetime member of the FAU National Alumni Association. Are you a member? Join now at www.faualumni.org.
Tradition in the Making, One Alum at a Time…
Back to the top

Post

Re: Fire Kimberly Miller

I do agree that the headlines do and will attract more readers, I guess I have a problem with the content of the article. It would seem that the PBP knows that with all the controversy FAU has been in lately, an article written in such a way to create more controversy will also pull in readers.

I don't know how much money it would take to bring in a consultant to work that position in the interim. We have to assume the board and administration know what they are doing and are being careful not to spend too much. Obviously this situation needed someone in the interim. That is a given.

I feel that the PBP is feeding off of the controversial issues that have plagued FAU recently by slanting articles to the negative no matter how benign the topic is to attract more readers. If a cub scout toop took a tour of the FAU campus, the PBP would find a way to find a way to slant it to attract more readers. A story about cub scouts won't attract readers. A story of how much money was wasted on cub scouts coming to the campus will attract readers. As with this article. I guess they felt a story about the acting reasearch director was too boring so they made it appear controversial by including the pay. Look at the response it got.

If this is what the PBP is doing then it is a piece of S#@t. This will catch up to them eventually. It always does.

FAU - THE REAL SLEEPING GIANT
Back to the top

Post

Re: Fire Kimberly Miller

Let me revise and extend my earlier remarks.  I probably didn't explain what I meant too well, which if you got to know me if probably par for the course.  :P

My concern is with how this looks, especially at a time when they are slashing the budget, considering layoffs, and yes, with recent controversies in mind, as well.  I'm not looking to pick a fight, and I'll admit that I don't know much about the inner-workings of sponsored research, but I, too, am thinking about what's best for FAU at this time.

While the reporter might not have written the headline, it's obvious the article was heading that way, nonetheless.  But does that make the argument irrelevant?  They don't care that FAU hired an interim research director.  Big deal.  But I think it is worthwhile to point out that a research director at a major research university is worth $300,000 a year.  And I also think it is worthwhile to point out that FAU is probably middle-of-the-pack in the SUS when it comes to research.  Is FAU on the rise in research?  Of course.  But the comments by the provost imply that the permanent director will make that much – a 50% increase over the prior incumbent – at a time when the budget is extremely tight and FAU hasn't yet reached that level.  Is this a top-level priority right now?  And if so, then what isn't a priority?  Where would you cut $7 million?  So I don't think it's out of line to ask if this is a good use of the college's money and demands this significantly-increased level of pay when they are facing millions in cuts this year, with possibly more to come.

I believe public opinion is currently on the side of increased funding for education spending (e.g., class size amendment, establishment of the Board of Governors, both by constitutional amendment in a statewide vote).  However, spending that is deemed to be "lavish," whether it is or not, turns that public opinion upside-down.  Add since it's about university research, people start talking about lazy, overpaid faculty who make six-figure salaries and don't teach, which is bad because faculty are teachers, and they are paid to teach and not do research and blah blah blah, and then your ears begin to bleed.  This is not an argument that FAU or any university really looks good fighting.  But I think that's because they don't know how to fight it.

Now you and I know that many discoveries come as a result of sponsored university research, and that's a good thing for everyone.  But I think FAU missed a golden opportunity to educate the public a little.  Instead of bragging that the next guy is going to make more than the provost, he should have explained what sponsored research is, what kinds of research they are involved in, and how it helps not only to the university, but also the community, the state and maybe, someday, you.  And if FAU wants to run with the big dogs, this is what these guys make.

The Post is traditionally very tough on education at all levels.  They have written extensively about spending issues at both FAU and PBCC, and have also uncovered obvious improprieties with the school voucher system and charter schools.  I don't believe they were necessarily taking a swing at FAU any more than they do with any other publicly-funded institution.

That said, I am, however, eagerly awaiting their next "FAU should drop football now" editorial.

The Big Dog has spoken. ;D
Back to the top

Post

Re: Fire Kimberly Miller

Sorry, but I disagree with some of you. The Post is doing its job, which is to report the news,. It is not, and should not be, an apologist for those it covers. The bottom line is that if the university doesn't want this to become news, it shouldn't do it. It's as simple as that. The Post, and any other good newspaper, has an obligation to keep an eye on how public money is spent. We might not like the attention. But the taxpayers deserve to know what's going on with public money. And that's the way it should be. I do not know Kimberly Miller or her bosses. But I appreciate their attention to these matters. Few problems can be solved without public attention turned to them. This is not the messenger's (Post's) offense. If it is an offense (and I am not certain it is), it is the university's.
Back to the top

Post

Re: Fire Kimberly Miller

agreed, we shouldn't shoot the messenger but I think what we are seeing is every story that comes out of FAU is slanted negatively by the PBP. In this case, the university needed someone to take over until a permanent person is placed. The post used an angle that is very very very sensitive right now, finances. They saw an opportunity to sensationalize this and went that way. If you read the comments, it created more FAU bashing that are beyond reasonable. Most of these comments say the same thing. Corruption, FAU sucks, fire Brogan……etc. Worthless comments.

Grayowl, you don't know and I don't know what it should take to bring someone in as a consultant. This guy might actually be cheap.

ERROR: A link was posted here (img) but it appears to be a broken link.

Back to the top

Post

Re: Fire Kimberly Miller

I agree 100% with grayowl and BMarkey.

Remember this writer is writing for an editor who assigns her these stories or inspires her to write them.  8 times out of 10, writers do not write their own headlines.  It is usually done by editors who lay out pages or stories and there's many factors including space needed to fill.

If you are going to find fault with the writer, then find fault with the people above her and take the time to express your opinions to them.

Side note: It's a bit over the top to call for someone's head just for doing what they are asked (and paid) to do.


Like things, love people.
Back to the top

Post

Re: Fire Kimberly Miller

At the Post, I would guess that no writers make their own heads. They don't at the Treasure Coast Newspapers (smaller chain).

Also, sometimes a story will take on a new lede or direction after it is written by the reporter.

If the Post has a negative bias toward FAU (it does seem to on the editorial pages), look to the editor and publisher to blame.

If it makes anyone feel better, the Post is probably the polar opposite of what people in this community feel. A Post endorsement has often referred to by local political candidates as the kiss of death.

Back to the top

Post

Re: Fire Kimberly Miller

BMarkey said

At the Post, I would guess that no writers make their own heads. They don't at the Treasure Coast Newspapers (smaller chain).

Also, sometimes a story will take on a new lede or direction after it is written by the reporter.

If the Post has a negative bias toward FAU (it does seem to on the editorial pages), look to the editor and publisher to blame.

If it makes anyone feel better, the Post is probably the polar opposite of what people in this community feel. A Post endorsement has often referred to by local political candidates as the kiss of death.


Outside of the bias, what is it about Florida papers like PBP and SS that makes them so markedly different than the Great Newspapers of The U.S. … you know, the New York Times, Washington Post, San Francisco Chronicle, etc… do you think any of the Florida papers will ever be mentioned in the same respect as those papers?
Back to the top
Control functions: