OT: Sour Notes at University of Illinois

[N.E. Brigand]

But what caught my eye was his salary -- I didn't know that any university band directors were making 140K+. That's more than every Engineering professor I know.

I was just reading an article about the literature professor Stanley Fish which reports that "the average salary for a professor at a leading research university is about $150,000--and more than $200,000 at the top ones like Columbia and Harvard".

[IllianaLancerContra]

Well, THIS is pretty pathetic, don't you think?

FWIW, back in the mid-1970s the Illini Band was one of the first bands from a major university to embrace the Drum Corps style music & drill. Not that there is anything wrong with the older style so long that it is done well...(look at Ohio State's ramp entry on youtube & you'll see what I mean)

[scottgordon]

I was just reading an article about the literature professor Stanley Fish which reports that "the average salary for a professor at a leading research university is about $150,000--and more than $200,000 at the top ones like Columbia and Harvard".

Wow, just did a quick bit of googling, and you're right. I had no idea the spread of salaries between various colleges was so large.

[drilltech1]

Wow, just did a quick bit of googling, and you're right. I had no idea the spread of salaries between various colleges was so large.

which is why some of those per credit/smester tuitions are soooooooo different. Yale now about 50 thousand per year, no joke!

Edited August 28, 2013 by drilltech1

[Michael Boo]

As I understand it, he sold 4 Paris Buffet Contra Alto clarinets. MSRP on new ones are $20,000+ each. The fact they are from the 1950s does not mean they couldn't be great instruments.

You are correct...I read that in another article. Just calling them "clarinets" makes it so much worse...not that it isn't already a bad scenario.

Older instruments, if properly cared for and maintained, can last quite a long time. It's often said that the wood in the older clarinets has a better tonality and reverberation due to being cured a longer time that wood used in newer instruments.

[84BDsop]

Error #1 was depositing the funds in his personal account.

#2 was thinking he could do an anon donation of funds and not get asked how he got the money

#3 would be not thinking of what questions he'd get if the U did an inventory and the gear was missing.

[fsubone]

Strange set of events. First, anyone teaching in public school knows you can't do this sort of creative maneuver without heavy-duty consultation with administration. But what caught my eye was his salary -- I didn't know that any university band directors were making 140K+. That's more than every Engineering professor I know.

University of Illinois is a pretty top music school, and most directors of bands at top universities make 100,000+.

[critter]

So he sells the gear, puts 87,000 into his account so he can then get a tax deduction when he donates that money to the university.

[FTNK]

University of Illinois is a pretty top music school, and most directors of bands at top universities make 100,000+.

People need to understand that he oversees all the bands @ U of I--from Marching Illini to the Wind Ensemble stacked with grad students, plus several concert bands in between. He doesn't direct them all but is the main guy in charge.

[scottgordon]

So he sells the gear, puts 87,000 into his account so he can then get a tax deduction when he donates that money to the university.

Maybe, but that would be even more stupid. As it is, he's probably only going to get a slap on the wrist (presuming that his colleagues testify on his behalf). But if he were to have claimed a tax deduction, and he ever got audited by the IRS, he'd get hit for tax fraud. Doubt he'd get out from under that one.