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Long before stands popped up to sell fireworks for the July 4 holiday, looming discussion of budget cuts taking effect July 1 sparked concern across the SIUC campus.
The 2004 fiscal year began for the University today, with it igniting apprehension of possible layoffs, enrollment and other repercussions the school may face as a result of budget cuts.
The 8.25-percent proposed cut will translate into roughly $20 million, and certainly some changes in the University. However, SIUC is still waiting for Gov. Rod Blagojevich to place his final signature on the budget before making any definite statements concerning any repercussions resulting from the cuts. Provost John Dunn said he expects this to occur within the next couple of days.
Chancellor Walter Wendler said although he have some idea of changes that will have to be made, he prefers to wait until a final decision has been made on the budget.
„We‚re so close to having accurate data, the best advice I‚ve gotten is to just wait until we know,‰ Wendler said. „We‚re going to have to tighten our belts even more if things go anywhere near the way we expect.
„There will be some significant changes and the cuts will not pass by unnoticed. There will be an impact.‰
The 8.25-percent cut in the University budget may have been common knowledge for some time, but uncertainty remained as to whether this decrease would result in a loss of staff as well.
Ruth Pommier, president of the association of civil service employees, said concern has been great from members of her union, who fear their positions to be in the greatest danger with pending layoffs.
„SIU has always been abominably top heavy,‰ said Pommier, who said she consistently receives anonymous calls from employees concerned about the layoffs, but frightened that expressing these concerns will jeopardize their positions.
„The University begins by cutting the most vulnerable, least paid employees.‰
Despite these concerns, Wendler said he feels the administrative costs at SIUC to be reasonable.
„My sense is that, through planning, we have held the academic mission of the University as the highest priority,‰ Wendler said. „Any careful, rational analysis would show that our administrative costs are below average for the state.‰
Pommier said layoffs have already brought the number of members in her union from 534 to 509 within the past year. This does not include the 29 employees that may possibly be laid off within the next month.
This would bring the total of members to less than 500, a number she feels to be disproportionate as far as the student-to-employee-ratio is concerned.
The University says the cuts stand to change certain things on campus but continues to emphasize the fact that any changes in the University will not affect the quality of education at SIUC.
Although there was a drop in enrollment this summer, with around 500 less students attending the University this year than summer 2002, Dunn is confident numbers will pick up in the fall.
„We‚re encouraged by what we see,‰ Dunn said. „We have a very
strong enrollment of new students in the fall once we‚ve worked through these budget reductions.‰
Despite lower attendance, however, figures concerning a decrease in staff, not the slight decreases in enrollment, remain the primary concern at SIUC.
Pommier said these layoffs could occur anywhere on campus, but in all probability, will have the largest effect in places such as the physical plant. She said she does not anticipate notification until the July 4 holiday has passed.
Although stress concerning the possible layoffs will cause anxiety for some employees, she said she does not blame one particular person and does not see Wendler as responsible for the current situation.
„It‚s not Chancellor Wendler; many of his problems were inherited,‰ Pommier said. „I blame bad timing and insensitivity.‰
Wendler added that he shares the concerns of Pommier in regard to possible dismissal of employees. He said the
University has taken into account the disposition of these staff members, and feels SIUC is doing its best to handle these cuts.
„Are we perfect? No,‰ he said. „But I feel we are still very much efficient.‰
