University: Graduation rates on the rise, p. 3
Baseball: Tiger closer Goody to turn pro, p. 5
Reveille The Daily
www.lsureveille.com
Michael Martin Chancellor talks about University’s future, budget cuts, his legacy
June 2010 Martin names Jack Hamilton executive vice chancellor and provost.
Technology: Smart phone apps enhance photos, p. 9 Thursday, June 14, 2012 • Volume 116, Issue 144
May 25, 2012 Martin accepts position as chancellor of Colorado State University system.
May 10, 2012 Martin named finalist in search for chancellor of Colorado State University.
Spring 2011 Flagship Coalition is created.
BUDGET
Faculty won’t see raises for third year Joshua Bergeron
2008
2009
August 1, 2008 Michael V. Martin is named the the University’s eighth chancellor.
Taylor Balkom Staff Writer
Chancellor Mike Martin sat down with The Daily Reveille on Wednesday and discussed his future, the future of the University and what he’ll miss most when he leaves for Colorado later this year. The Daily Reveille: In a conference call after Colorado State University named you its next Chancellor, you said the current budget crisis had an inverse relationship with your decision to take the job. Could you explain that further? Martin: “The nation of higher education people know among the states under the most stress, Louisiana is at the top. Many
2010 Oct. 25, 2011 Martin attends Knight Commission in Washington, D.C.
2012
2011
February 2012 Martin informs faculty, staff and students of impending cuts from Governor Jindal’s proposed 2012-2013 state budget.
more places are coming here to look for people than would otherwise be the case. This budget stress has really meant more that other universities are shopping for talent here.” Martin cited former Dean of Business Eli Jones’ and former Art and Design Dean David Cronrath’s departure for other Universities without actively seeking another job. “So the budget crisis didn’t cause me to look for a job, but it did cause people to be willing to call and see if I wanted one. And as I’ve said, I don’t want to run away from a challenge. But I put in four years of $102 million worth of budget cuts. I arrived just before [Hurricane] Gustav hit the campus, and it’s been one storm
[that] before I leave. And then of course I want to help this group of people who I’ve come to have a great affection for here and do the best we can to establish a budget that can get us through the next fiscal year.” TDR: You’ve mentioned Interim LSU System President William “Bill” Jenkins as a potential successor before. Has that changed or have you added anyone else to this list? Martin: “I’m glad Bill is back. He had been here before he retired, so he knows the place well, and he cares about this place. Those are two important criteria. He is well received in this community and beyond. I know for a fact
As English professor Anna Nardo sat in her office on a Thursday morning, she lamented a problem plaguing faculty members — salary compression. Salary compression is when starting salaries for new employees are too close to the wages of existing workers. In severe circumstances, starting salaries exceed what current employees earn. “Say that a professor meets his or her research goals and receives positive reviews from all of his or her classes,” Nardo said. “Well, the dean might say to me, ‘You did a great job, but I don’t have the money to recognize the work you did.’ It is a real struggle.” The University is nearing the end of fiscal year 2011, the third year in a row faculty members haven’t received a wide-scale pay raise, according to Provost Jack Hamilton. Repeated denials for raises are compounded by the fact that new professors are being hired at an increasingly high market rate in order to continue hiring high-quality professors. “I may have taught at the University for a while, but a new professor can come in and get hired for a few thousand more than I do,” Nardo
MARTIN, see page 4
RAISES, see page 4
March 2, 2012 Martin speaks at ribbon-cutting ceremony for new Business Education Complex.
ever since. It does wear you out a little bit. So when someone does call, you’re slightly more inclined to say, ‘Let’s have a conversation.’ And that’s exactly what happened.” TDR: Are there any specific projects you’d like to complete before leaving? Martin: “I want to make real progress on what we’re referring to as the Nicholson Gateway Project. I made a presentation to the Board of Supervisors last week. We need to change Nicholson Drive to make the housing better and to find other uses for that wonderful corridor. We’re [also] just getting started on the two-year run-up to accreditation. I want to make sure we are well organized to deal with
Staff Writer
August 2012 Martin to leave Louisiana State University.
LIBRARIES
Audubon folio to be on display Saturday Austen Krantz Staff Writer
File photo
Head of Special Collections Elaine Smyth displays John James Audubon’s book “Birds of America” in Hill Memorial Library.
Multiple species of birds travel through Louisiana, but on Saturday people can see most of them in Hill Memorial Library. LSU Libraries will host a viewing of John James Audubon’s folio “Birds of America.” This collection of 435 original prints in four volumes illustrates the country’s birds on large elephant foliosize sheets — paper large enough to portray the birds at life size. Head of Special Collections at Hill Memorial Library Elaine
Smyth described Audubon as the premier bird artist of the early 19th century. The set on display in Hill Memorial was printed between 1827 and 1838. While many have seen reproductions of his work, Smith said few have seen the originals, much less the entire set. “You get the full force of what he actually accomplished,” she explained. “Not many people get to be in the room with that great work of art.” While artistic, Smyth described Audubon’s main drive as primarily scientific. “He was describing the birds
and trying to give them their scientific names,” she said. “He portrayed them with plants they actually relied on in nature. He was putting them in context, which was something previous ornithologists and ornithological artists hadn’t done.” Smyth said Audubon saw many of these birds in Louisiana while tutoring since so many different species travel through the state on their migratory paths. “This is a very rich area for bird watching because it’s in the fly AUDUBON, see page 4