Employees have requested more time to review an early retirement offer that is proposed as part of Ohio University's major budget realignment.
The offer is part of a proposed $20.6 million in budget cuts for the upcoming fiscal year designed to create a surplus that can be reinvested in key programs of Vision Ohio, the university's strategic plan for the future, according to figures from the Office of the Provost. If the Board of Trustees approves the plan March 2, about 300 classified and administrative staff - but no faculty - will be offered early retirement, Provost Kathy Krendl said at the Feb. 13 Faculty Senate meeting.
Administrative Senate Chair Wendy Merb-Brown said she received several pages of e-mails from administrators, and the most common complaint was the speed of the process, which gives employees one month to accept the offer. Those who might be offered early retirement want time to talk with their financial planners, she said.
Clearly
our administrators are saying that a decent amount of time is necessary Merb-Brown said.
The Provost's Office is in contact with the Department of Human Resources and has helped direct employees to online financial planning services, Krendl said. Granting more time will be difficult because the university's extensive budget realignment is predicated on the cuts being instituted for the upcoming fiscal year, which begins July 1.
Among administrators, concern was expressed that, unlike classified staff, there is no safety net when positions are eliminated, Merb-Brown said.
Classified staff have bumping rights a system that favors senior employees when positions are eliminated, she said.
We don't have the protection of a civil service process or a union or other kinds of representation
she said.
Krendl said she hopes the retirement incentives will be offered before layoffs will be made. Some of the positions vacated by those accepting early retirement will be eliminated, she said.
We're trying to figure out a way to minimize the number of people who lose their jobs
she said.
Faculty also expressed interest in their own early retirement program, and Student Senate President Brian Footer discussed concerns he had about class availability after the staffing cuts, Krendl said.
The budget realignment turns a projected $9.4 million deficit for the 2006-2007 fiscal year into a projected $10.9 million surplus that can be reinvested, according to the provost's figures. If it maintained status quo, the university would face larger deficits every year, including a $14 million deficit in 2009-2010, the last year in the projection.
Faculty Senate chair Phyllis Bernt said she would like a more transparent view of where the $20.6 million in cuts are going to take place. The university must do something about the budget situation, but timely feedback is key, she said.
After all these years of cuts
there may not be the flexibility in the budget that people think there is
she said.
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