Paul “Kruggie” Krugman to get $25,000/mo. to “study” income inequality
Via Gawker:
In late February, the City University of New YorkΒ announcedΒ that it had tapped Princeton economist andΒ New York TimesΒ blogger Paul Krugman for a distinguished professorship at CUNYβs Graduate Center and itsΒ Luxembourg Income Study Center, a research arm devoted to studying income patterns and their effect on inequality.
About that. According toΒ a formal offer letterΒ obtained under New Yorkβs Freedom of Information Law, CUNY intends to pay Krugman $225,000, or $25,000 per month (over two semesters), to βplay a modest role in our public eventsβ and βcontribute to the build-upβ of a new βinequality initiative.β It is not clear, and neither CUNY nor Krugman was able to explain, what βcontribute to the build-upβ entails.
Itβs certainly not teaching. βYou will not be expected to teach or supervise students,β the letter informs Professor Krugman, whoΒ replies: βI admit that I had to read it several times to be clear … itβs remarkably generous.β (After his first year, Krugman will be required to host a single seminar.)
Sooo, basically the esteemed Krugman will get paid $225,000 a year to do … nothing. Β In fact, it sounds like this “position” will benefit Paul Krugman a hell of a lot more than those whose incomes he supposedly wants to make “more equal.” Β Sound familiar?
(hat tip)