The benefits of being employed by The University of Memphis are numerous and many may be surprised by them.
According to The U of M, employees may receive discounts to places such as Six Flags, Sam's Club, 10 percent off all items at Bookstar and can even receive discounts at all Tennessee State Parks.
U of M faculty and staff are not the only people to benefit from these discounts. According to Bill Gutzke, U of M professor and president of the Faculty Senate, even family can receive up to a 50 percent discount to all schools in Tennessee. Also, full-time employees may take some classes free every semester.
"For our children or your spouse that want to take classes here, you get at least 50 percent off in any Tennessee school, at least in the Tennessee Board of Regents," Gutzke said. "Supposedly everyone who works here full-time can take up to three classes per semester for free."
Benefits are not the only discounts both U of M faculty and staff may receive. According to the University website, all employees are eligible for many types of insurance. For example, employees may receive blood insurance if they donate a unit of blood each year. In return, it will cover any blood needed for a one-year period. Other forms of insurance include dental, retirement, long term disability and optional life insurance.
Also, U of M employees receive discounts to both the University Store and the Tiger Book Store. Employees receive 20 percent off used books at the Tiger Bookstore and 10 percent off new text books. At the University Store, employees acquire a 10 percent discount (on all items).
Another benefit U of M workers may use is the availability to receive discounts from Northwest Airlines. Joe Bond, director of purchasing at The U of M, said the benefits provide discounts of 11 percent for domestic flights and 5 percent for international.
"Northwest offered us a discount," Bond said. "Essentially the more people who use it, the better the discount. If you call Travelennium, you will get your discount."
But employees do not receive discounts for everything on campus. Teachers and staff still must pay for all parking services and do not receive any discounts at either the Tiger Den or the University Center.
Despite all of the discounts and insurance available to U of M employees, Gutzke still does not approve of The University's decision to increase fees and to use the Recreational Center.
"It went up 300 percent," Gutzke said. "At the end of last year, the Faculty Senate decided to boycott the Rec facility if they raised the rate to 300 percent. We agreed that we would pay 200 percent but not 300. They gave us a 3.5 percent pay raise, then they charge you 300 percent. It doesn't take a genius to figure out where your raise goes."
