For the first time in the history of the State, accountants
will examine seven sport associations, according to an Itim
news agency report. The associations to be investigated are:
the Wingate Institute, the Olympic Committee, the Football
Association, the Swimming Federation, the Athletics
Association, the Handball Association and the Fund for
outstanding Athletes. The investigation will be conducted by
outside accountants who will examine the business dealing,
the financial situation and the management of the accounts of
these groups.
According to Minister of Science, Sport and Culture Matan
Vilnai: "It is fitting and important that the accounts of
associations funded by millions of shekels from the
taxpayer's money, be available for public view." "As far as
both their financial management and overall activities are
concerned, and we must guarantee that they are conducted
according to public standards and norms," Vilnai said.
Until now, no one has dared to raise the idea of checking
various sport organizations. All attempts to investigate what
goes on in these organizations would until now have been
considered insulting.
Thus, while yeshivos and Torah institutions were constantly
suspected of stealing from the public coffers, "cultural
bodies" enjoyed unlimited, unreserved trust. Only the
decision of the new Culture and Sport Minister--perhaps
hoping to add some excitement to his boring job--has directed
the public attention to the need to examine the goings on in
these institutions.
Another interesting development in this area involves the
disclosure of the huge salaries being paid to the heads of
the country's schools of higher education.
The report on deviations in the salaries in public sectors
made by Yuvel Rachelevski, Salary Commissioner for the
Finance Ministry, revealed interesting facts of which the
students should take note:
The monthly salary of a senior official in Bar Ilan
University is on average NIS 49,137 a month. In other words
the salary of such officials is paid by the tuition of 49
students.
Among the salaries of senior officials in the universities,
that of the president of the Weizman Institute is the
highest. He receives NIS 64,948 a month, while his assistants
receive "only" NIS 48,897- NIS 53,383 a month.
The salary of one of the employees of the Weizman Institute,
who is described as a "technician," is no less than NIS
48,167 a month. The president of Haifa University doesn't lag
very much behind his colleague at Weizman, with a monthly
salary of NIS 64,569. His two assistants receive NIS 59,946
and NIS 53,431 respectively. The Deans for advanced studies
in Haifa University make do on a mere NIS 52,724, and the
Rector receives NIS 51,538.
Spokesman of the universities explained that the salaries
were approved by the Treasury and the Council for Higher
Education. There was no attempt to justify the need for such
high salaries at the expense of the state and the tuition of
the students. It is needless to say that marbitzei
Torah would never dream of taking such astronomic
salaries.
In a similar vein, it has become clear that institutes of
higher learning are employing a number of sophisticated
"tricks" which make it appear as if they have adopted a
series of pay cuts, when in actuality the salaries of their
officials continue to rise.
According to Ha'aretz, in 1998, Tel Aviv University's
internal comptroller received a basic monthly salary of NIS
26,144. This sparked a huge outcry. In response, the
university cut in the comptroller's basic salary to NIS
10,727 a month--a not so negligible loss of NIS 16,000.
However, the comptroller isn't very concerned. Apparently, in
1998 he received NIS 8,899 a month for additional work (as
opposed to nothing for corresponding work in 1997) as well as
NIS 9,207 as a salary increment (as opposed to nothing 1997),
NIS 943 for expenses (as opposed to nothing in 1997), NIS 791
for other increments (as opposed to NIS 591 in 1997).
All in all, the comptroller of the Tel Aviv University
received in NIS 30,567 a month in 1998 (NIS 42,426 in the
terms of the cost of the employers). In other words, after
the "cuts," NIS 20,000 were added on to his salary in
indirect ways, so that the cut of NIS 16,000 was covered over
and above, and in the end he earned NIS 4,000 more than in
1997.
We shudder to think what would have happened if such a ruse
had taken place in any sort of religious institution. The
report, which the secular papers buried on the inside pages,
would have served as material for a sensational scoop, as
well as a cause for scathing parliamentary questions, and for
an adamant demand to thoroughly investigate the illogical
"salary sprees."
