this post was submitted on 13 Oct 2024
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In a now-viral TikTok video, Dr. Daniel McKeown, a professor at UCLA, claims low pay has left him homeless, shocking many of his followers.

“Hi everyone, my name is Daniel, and I’m an astrophysics professor at UCLA. I’m only being paid $70,000 for this academic year,” McKeown says in the video.

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McKeown, listed as a lecturer on UCLA’s website, says he had to move out of his apartment because he could no longer afford the rent.

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When asked why he doesn’t teach elsewhere, McKeown said, “I refuse to stop teaching. Teaching my students is my absolute passion. UCLA is a top university for physics.”

McKeown holds a Ph.D. in astrophysics.

“I teach full-time. I teach six classes a year, yet I’m being paid about half of what the average physics professor in California makes. It’s not fair,” he told KTLA.

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[–] Ledivin@lemmy.world 42 points 6 days ago (9 children)

When asked why he doesn’t teach elsewhere, McKeown said, “I refuse to stop teaching. Teaching my students is my absolute passion. UCLA is a top university for physics.”

If you are completely unwilling to leave, then they aren't ever going to pay you more.

[–] plantteacher@mander.xyz 4 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago)

You don’t seem to be accounting for university image. Are the optics of this worthless? IMO, this guy should pitch a tent on the campus grounds and make a media spectacle of it.

Might be a good test to see how quickly a dorm room can be freed up and administrative red tape overcome.

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