Rumors

From: Sanford Shugart
To: All Faculty and Staff
Date: 11/14/01  8:51AM
Subject: Rumors

"For which of you will stop the vent of hearing when loud Rumor speaks?"

It is certainly understandable in a period of economic uncertainty and budget reductions to hear expressions of anxiety and even an occasional unfounded rumor on what the future may hold for us. I have heard a few in the college lately. Please allow me to reassure you. In spite of what the Sentinel had to say earlier this week, we are not planning staff cuts to counseling or any other areas. I did indicate to the reporter that the hiring freeze on all areas except faculty would have an impact on our staff (increased workloads) and our services. I also indicated that stresses on our budget, reflected in administrative, student support, and other areas, would force us to constrain our growth leaving some students unserved.

In short, the previous memos I have distributed to you about budget controls are the whole story. Meanwhile, you will note the legislature is returning to make additional budget reductions after Thanksgiving. We believe we have already prepared for this by the actions already taken and no further reductions will be required in this year.

"Rumor doth double, like the voice and echo, the numbers of the feared.."

Perhaps the oddest rumor I have heard questioned whether summer contracts would be available for faculty this year. Well, this is just plain silly and shame on anyone spreading such foolishness. Of course we will continue to teach and staff the summer semesters as before. Therefore, I do not anticipate any change in our usual pattern of staffing for the summer.

"I can get no remedy against this consumption (illness) of the purse.."

In this, at least, I can relate to old Falstaff. The budget issues are likely to persist through next year. Yet, we will not surrender our priorities for learning just because of resources. Therefore, working with the VPs and Provosts, I have just approved nineteen tenure-track faculty positions for advertising. The principles (Faculty Staffing Assumptions & Principles 2001-03) for choosing these positions and the list of positions by campus (Tenure-Track Faculty Positions) are attached.

These positions come at modest net cost to the college; in other words, we have taken all of the dollars available due to retirements and reinvested them in new positions rather than capturing them for budget savings. This is a serious commitment to our "Learning Leaders" goal during a period of budget stress. Many of these positions are conversions from four-month to tenure track with an accompanying search. Others are net new positions. All will be filled according to a new hiring schedule that should allow us to complete hiring by May.

If you have any questions, feel free to check them out with me or any of the senior staff or faculty leadership - before passing a rumor along...

PS Brush up your Shakespeare....

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