University fires $100k/year social media director for lying on resume

Yes, because I'm sure that person just sat at her desk sending out tweets whenever she felt the need.

Seriously?

 

Yes, seriously. $100K for this job is ridiculous. And it's my taxpayer dollars supporting this.

Yes, social media is important - I get that. It's not $100k a year of taxpayer cash important, especially in a state that was hit hard by this recession and still hasn't recovered. U-M spends money like it's going out of style.

Shouldn't a university be more focused on things like, say, teaching their students? That's why I'm glad my son didn't go to a school with all this unnecessary side crap. He's paying a lot less money for a good education (and, yes, a college education is what you make of it, whether you're at a community college or a so-called "elite" school).

 

And, since this is a sports website, it should be noted that U-M's athletic department does not draw money from the university's general fund.

 

Hell, I don't think it started well. Given these two, I wouldn't surprised if they met at a Jersey Shore screening party.

 

Out of touch much?

 

QED.

 

I've seen some of these kinds of things at universities at which I've worked (I should note that I've never worked at an institution as big (either in actual size or prominence) as the U of M. Lots of these well-paid sinecures simply evolve ... Person X has some sort of a gig and then, over time, insinuates him/herself into more and more responsibility. My college (one of several at my university) appears to be beginning the process of hiring a dedicated webmaster. I'll lay odds that in five years whoever they hire will have a staff. That's the way these things go.

One twist to this story I would not be surprised to hear (note that I am not asserting that this is what happened, but I would not be surprised at all by it) is that the hiring of this degree-less gal involved a search that wasn't as wide-open as it should have been. Indeed, there might be a higher-level administrator sweating bullets today.

 

As true as that all is, including the possibility of some interdepartmental groping in the supply closet, the U of M has a Facebook presence of nearly half a million. www.facebook.com/universityofmichigan

U of M football, over a million. www.facebook.com/michiganfball

Many of which (or whom) constitute potential revenue for the University.

 

It's way too much money for that. It's a good example of how institutions overvalue social media skills that most employees already in place could learn.

 

If it weren't for Twitter and the need to be first as opposed to right, this would not have happened.

Darn social media.

 

The mechanics of using social media are not what this position is ostensibly for. Rather, this position is to ensure that the university speaks with a common/consistent voice when it avails itself of social media. My word, can you imagine the cacophony that could follow dozens/hundreds/thousands of UofM social media-ers doing their own thing?

 

I'd fire him, too, if I were UM, especially now that Michigan is a right-to-work state.