To compensate for an $11 million cut to the U’s budget, administrators agreed to take a bigger hit than academic programs.
Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Dave Pershing agreed to have the U administration take a 5.7 percent cut, while programs and departments take a 4.7 percent cut, in order to keep students in class and on track for graduation.
Last week, administrators decided to terminate two secretarial positions in the Park Building?effective in May?as part of their cut to the budget. The positions are currently held by two U students.
“Luckily both of the students were planning to leave anyway so nobody was laid off,” said Fred Esplin, vice president for university relations.
One secretary plans to go home for the summer, while the other is leaving for graduate school. The part-time secretaries staffed the Park Building receptionist desk located on the main floor.
Jodee Tlachac, an executive secretary in the office of the president, will take up the position in May. Previously, her desk was located in the U relations office where she aided Special Assistant to the President Laura Snow.
“I’m just grateful I still have a job,” Tlachac said.
Because she is a full-time employee, Tlachac receives half-tuition benefits for her husband, a U medical student. Since medical students are required to have health insurance, it would have been “devastating” to have been laid off, she said.
As layoffs continue to happen around campus, Tlachac said she is happy to still be able to provide for herself and her husband.
At her new desk, Tlachac will have all her previous responsibilities in addition to some new tasks.
Just a walk down the hall from Tlachac new desk is Pershing’s office.
For the past week, he has met with deans to discuss the details of each school’s budget cuts.
“Most departments are dealing with the budget cuts by leaving unfilled positions open and reducing non-personnel services. However, there has been, and will be, a few more layoffs,” Pershing said.
The layoffs that occur will most likely be effective July 1?the first day of the fiscal year, he said.
Pershing said he hopes by the end of Spring Semester the budget for each school can be finalized.
Within the next week, Pershing will wrap up the budget reports and present them to U President Bernie Machen for his approval.
“So far, I am very pleased with the way the deans have dealt with the cuts,” Pershing said.
He said the reductions will have a relatively small impact on students, because departments are trying to keep courses open to students.
“There will be some cuts to some departments’ offerings. You can’t cut $11 million without some damage, but overall, students won’t notice a large difference,” Pershing said.