Clueless in Tallahassee

The payroll follies continue at Florida A&M University. Eleven tutors at the school's writing center have gone on strike.

Eleven of 15 tutors at Florida A&M University's Writing Resource Center are on strike because of missed paychecks.

Some have not received any wages this semester. Others have been paid. But the 11 decided to form a united front and stop coming to work as of Wednesday.

The usually bustling writing center, which had more than 3,500 student visits last semester, was almost empty at midday Thursday. A single student was being tutored. Computers sat unused.

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"I'm working on it," FAMU Interim President Castell Bryant said Thursday of pay delays that the university last week acknowledged have touched more than 400 people. About two-thirds of the 400 were paid last Friday, and Bryant said on-demand paychecks are available within 48 hours for other employees whose paperwork has passed through all channels, including budget approval.

"We had folks who weren't always going through the steps," said Grace Ali, vice president for fiscal affairs. “We suspected the problem last September."

The Tallahassee Democrat is also reporting that six workers at the college newspaper have finally gotten paid. That leaves me wondering if Bryant did that so to muffle or appease that college media source.

Bryant, a former knucklehead winner, shows her total incompetence with statements like 'I'm working on it.' while employees go unpaid, or "There is not any particular problem with our payroll process,”. If there is no problem with the payroll process, where is the payroll money going? Is someone stealing it or does Ms. Ali not know to do the simple matter of a paycheck.

What is certain is that Grace Ali should be given 10 days to fix the payroll or be dismissed. In addition the proper authorities, the state legislature, any university oversight boards, and maybe even law enforcement should investigate this payroll debacle and President Bryant and Ms. Ali's actions. This is a state university, not some corrupt third world country we're talking about.

Hat tip- Carl
Linked to- Bullwinkle, Mark My Words, Pirate's Cove,