A Win-ing Tribute

Although John White didn’t seem too happy with the Legislature after its session that ended this past spring, Win Thompson, president of the University of Central Arkansas seems to be whistling a different tune.

Pointing his finger at the Legislature, White, chancellor of the University of Arkansas’ Fayetteville campus, announced the layoffs of 31 physical plant workers because of budget constraints. A month later, after outcry from the targeted workers, he rescinded that decision.

While all this commotion was taking place in the Ozarks, 162 miles to the southeast in Conway, Thompson was penning a thank-you note to state Rep. Sue Madison, D-Fayetteville.

Thompson said he wanted to thank the Legislature for its support of higher education in general and UCA in particular.

Sounding like the anti-White, Thompson wrote that he would use some of the money allotted to UCA to hire additional physical plant workers and give raises, particularly to the lowest-paid employees on campus.

White has come under criticism for paying what some say are exorbitant salaries for upper administrators while neglecting lower-level campus employees.