Penn State Officials Unclear on Meaning of ‘Equity Promotion’ Item in School Budget
“I would not have an answer for that”
Perhaps this is one of those umbrella terms that can cover a range of things.
The College Fix reports:
Officials at Penn State can’t say what ‘equity promotion’ means on the school’s budget
The budget for Pennsylvania State University’s 2019-2020 academic year includes funds devoted to “equity promotion,” but it’s not clear that university officials know what that even means.
According to its website, the total operating budget for the school this year allocates $2,056,000 toward “market, equity & faculty promotions.” The budget does not explain what an “equity promotion” is, and numerous campus officials in several divisions struggled to define it when asked by The College Fix.
“I would not have an answer for that,” a representative of the school’s Educational Equity office said in a phone call. She directed The Fix to the school’s human resources department.
An HR representative said she would consult with her manager, placing The Fix on hold for several minutes. When she returned, the representative said she could not locate that budget item on the school’s website. She surmised that it concerned “the cost of living” or “how much they pay you, I guess.”
The Fix was again redirected, this time to the Budget Office. A representative there had to be directed to the specific section of the school’s website in which “equity promotion” is an earmarked budgetary item.
“The majority of that is faculty promotion,” the employee said. When asked specifically about “equity promotion,” however, the official implied it helps to ensure that male and female employees receive equal payment for the same job.
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