The faculty union for the State System of Higher Education is asking for more time for its members to get ready for another job before their retrenchment comes up.
In comments presented to the State System Board of Governors meeting on Thursday, APSCUF president Dr. Jamie Martin said that when Chancellor Dan Greenstein accelerated the time frame for universities to reach financial sustainability from five years to three years, several consequences came up, including the sending of 100 retrenchment notices to faculty members at five of the system’s universities. Faculty members have until March 15th to file their notice to retire by June 30th, 2021 to receive full retirement incentive, or retire by June 30th, 2022, to receive partial incentive.
Annual operating revenue at 11 of the 14 state-owned universities is below two percent. The State System goal is two to four percent. Ten of the schools have lower minimum cash reserves than they did five years ago. Half of the schools have only 180 days of cash reserves on hand. Three have less than 90 days of cash on hand. Chancellor Dan Greenstein says the universities have to get finances under control in order to survive
Martin asked the board to give them another year to help union members to find opportunities to transfer to another university in the state system or find opportunities elsewhere and be able to go on interviews, find a new home and make the move when it is safe to do so, and let them keep health care coverage until conditions from the pandemic improve. She added that if they did have the extra year, they will be able to reach their workforce goals through attrition, transfers and retirements.
Comments