Plattsburgh State cuts costs

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November 7, 2009

[-BULLET-] Faculty, staff worry about lasting harm

By STEPHEN BARTLETT The Press Republican Sat Nov 07, 2009, 10:28 PM EST

PLATTSBURGH — Increased workloads and incentives to leave are in at Plattsburgh State.

They are part of ongoing initiatives to contend with a nearly $4 million deficit that will result in layoffs, program reductions, possible fee increases and more.

University administrators say that while some actions taken will inevitably negatively impact the college, they are working diligently to make the right decisions in the long run. But faculty and staff worry about lasting harm to the institution.

"I think faculty wants to know more about what this will accomplish and how it fits into an overall budget-reduction plan," said Dr. Paul Johnston, a faculty member in the English Department. "We get a piece here and a piece there, and no one is really sure how it all goes together."

Gov. David Paterson slashed $148 million from the State University of New York's operating budget last fiscal year, the permanent cut resulting in a $2 million deficit at Plattsburgh State.

Paterson plans to take another $90 million from SUNY, which local university officials estimate will translate to another $1.8 million loss, swelling the deficit to $3.8 million.

The university would have to eliminate nearly 70 positions with an annual salary of $54,000 to wipe that out and has been formulating plans to tackle the problem that will inflict the least amount of pain on students and the college.

"Although we do not yet know what impact the governor's proposed additional $90 million cut in funding to SUNY will have on our campus," said Plattsburgh State President Dr. John Ettling in a campus e-mail, "we have already implemented several measures including increased class sizes, restrictions on travel, and elimination of some vacant positions as announced last May to address our growing deficit.

"We are immediately implementing two new measures designed to help realize both short- and long-term budget relief."

Starting in the spring 2010 semester, full-time tenured faculty not involved in active scholarship or "extraordinary service" may be asked to teach a fourth course or assume other responsibilities.

As a temporary measure, beginning fall 2010, full-time faculty will teach a minimum of 21 credits per academic year, though those who teach graduate courses only will continue with 18 credits.

"In addition, professionals who have been teaching for extra-service pay during regular business hours may be asked to have one course per academic year built into their performance programs," Ettling said. "Other qualified professional and management confidential staff may also be asked to teach one course per academic year."

Plattsburgh State is also offering a voluntary separation program to full-time tenured faculty and professional employees.

"Under the program, faculty would be granted leave with full pay for the spring 2010 semester prior to the effective date of their resignation sometime between May 19 and Aug. 31, 2010," Ettling said. "Professionals would be granted a six-month leave with full pay prior to their effective date of resignation, which must take place sometime between July 1 and Aug. 31, 2010."

Interim Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Patricia Higgins explained that increased workload, which she views as temporary, and voluntary separation were packaged together.

"If enough people voluntarily separate and pick up enough additional sections, we will have saved salaries of those people who voluntarily separated and not added additional costs with those sections."

Some classes taught by adjuncts could go to faculty, though, depending on who chooses to leave the university and which classes those individuals taught, some adjuncts may have to be hired to pick up a class. Adjuncts earn $2,700 to $2,800 per three-credit class.

"This is a piece of moving toward this ultimate resolution," said Vice President for Administration John Homburger. "We want to do this in a way that doesn't turn the campus upside down. Let's take advantage of it and then see how we put the puzzle together."

Plus, it avoids layoffs, at least at this point.

"We are going to come out this OK," Homburger said. "It is between here and there where you have to be so, so sensitive to the ramifications of decision making."

Many worry about the latest moves the university is taking.

"It is very difficult to teach four courses and do a good job teaching," said Dr. Anna Battigelli, a faculty member in the English Department. "The problem with teaching four classes is that it takes away from attention to students."

A lot of college teaching is one-on-one, Johnston pointed out, such as helping students with writing and talking to them when they come to the office.

"There will be far more papers and far more students and not enough time in the day to respond as adequately as we should."

Faculty members also use some of the time a fourth course would take up to pursue scholarly work, such as research, writing and publishing.

Johnston wonders how specifically any of this will help.

"With voluntary separation, departments will get smaller and certain areas of expertise will be lost if certain areas can't be replaced."

Battigelli thinks the university should protect its resources.

"It is worth fighting to maintain what we have."

E-mail Stephen Bartlett at: sbartlett@pressrepublican.com