To the Editor:

It was curious to see a direct criticism of Mr. B. Shapiro in a recent issue of the Reporter. In fact, it was written by "homo-studentos" in the letters column and for such a species we have a natural tolerance. They have the privilege of not fully understanding the world order, but what about the Reporter staff?

They are also innocent. This is only because of dropping "The Principal's Column" after a survey among readers, which showed that many readers were not very interested in having the columns continue.

It appears that the doors for alternative views -- different from those of senior administrators -- are now wide open. So, if it is possible for students to voice their opinions, allow me to touch on a sensitive issue.

During this period of government budget cuts, we've lost 25% of our support staff (see McGill Alternative Budget). At the same time, the top management number was not reduced but increased by creating a position for Mr. Robert Savoie. The only logical solution for such a situation is demanding the salary cut to match proportionally the total budget reduction and even more.

We have seven administrators with salaries ranging from $140,000 to $231,000. Our budget is 80% funded by taxpayers; however, the government's highest salary is $150,000 for the prime minister. Ministers receive $130,000 and Montreal mayor Pierre Bourque's salary is $89,700, from which he donates $78,000 to the Youth Foundation.

McGill is not a profitable private bank and it cannot justify such salaries. Consider that for each advertised professorial position (with $43,000 as a starting salary) there are about 500 applicants. We should have no problem finding a highly qualified, hard-working and open-minded principal for $115,000.

We could be on Maclean's cover for showing a good example of reasonable salary distribution for other Canadian universities to follow! At the same time we should also reconsider how we select our principal and vice-principals -- the current process does not represent a democratic model.

Instead of the confidential talks between structurally oriented representatives, we should see open public debate between several candidates. They should widely present their programs and then be left to our votes.

We need to exercise our rights to correction and the presentation of our own solutions. A very good example is the latest underground movement involved with the creation of the Alternative Budget Group. The promotion of such a strong and spontaneous activity to other fields of university life depends much on the press coverage. For example, a recent front page article in The Gazette (March 21) demonstrates the effective Montreal chapter of the influential English boys club. Topics such as salaries and more democratic elections at McGill, which were hotly discussed at the Alternative Budget Group meeting, were left unreported. The whole group was described as "radicals" with quotation marks and Mr. Shapiro was presented by The Gazette as "pretty radical himself." We know well who is trying to conserve the McGill petrified salaries and undemocratic mechanisms as long as possible, but the general public does not. Is such coverage encouraging for more active involvement in the future?

Anyway, for this and other reasons, we have good cause to support our very own and fully independent Reporter. In today's uncertain political climate, it can be threatened with closure like the Faculty Club, for not being financially profitable. Ironically, it can also be outsourced, like the Bookstore, as the Reporter now has special value after recently winning an award as a top university newspaper!

So, the empty space after the disappearance of the protective "The Principal's Column" must be filled as soon as possible by the power and wisdom of our collective opinions about McGill's problems and solutions.

Take up the pen and write to the Reporter. Let the Reporter staff, already proven to be professional, have access to new sources of ideas. We need hard-working and proven journalists to stimulate and monitor the exchange of our different opinions. In such a way, we can take our future into our own hands rather than passively wait for our dear leaders to find solutions for us.

Slawomir Poplawski
Technician, Department of Mining and Metallurgical Engineering

Editor's note: Mr. Poplawski isn't quite correct in stating that McGill hasn't cut back on the number of its top administrative jobs. Vice-Principal (Administration and Finance) Phyllis Heaphy estimates that almost 50% of the University's executive-level positions have disapppeared in the last three years. For instance, the positions of secretary general and secretary to Senate have been amalgamated, as have the positions of vice-principal (academic) and vice-principal (Macdonald Campus), while the positions of comptroller and assistant comptroller have been abolished.