CLARION, Pa. – A revised Clarion University of Pennsylvania workforce plan that calls for fewer retrenchments and layoffs than was originally projected was unveiled Monday, but it still provides for a net cut of over 40 positions.
A series of administrative realignments of academic units were also announced, as well as efforts to develop a tier plan for athletics, with some teams designated for more resources than others. According to President Karen Whitney, no cuts will be made of athletic teams.
The complete workforce plan is available on the web at http://www.clarion.edu/439450.pdf.
“Interpret the reduction as the positive result of some very deep discussions and dialogue with our students, our employees, our alumni in terms of how to shape our workforce going forward,” said President Karen Whitney. “We’re still reducing positions, but in more cases than we originally proposed, we reduced positions but kept people by reassigning people to other open positions where we do have the enrollment and or we do have a higher level of need for a particular service or program to occur.”
Beth McDaniel, president of Clarion APSCUF (Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculty), described the revised workforce plan as short on detail and long on jargon and rhetoric.
“I am glad that far fewer faculty will be retrenched. APSCUF has worked hard on this and will continue to do so,” said McDaniel. “However, the number of other employees who will lose their jobs has remained the same from the ranks of AFSCME (American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees), SCUPA (State College & University Professional Association). But what is most heart-breaking to me is that none of this has to happen.”
The cuts throughout the university were developed to meet a projected $12 million structural deficit and declining enrollment in certain academic departments.
“The actions in this plan are designed to ensure that Clarion University is positioned for the future,” said Whitney. “At the forefront of this plan is for our students to graduate and succeed in their professional careers, thanks to the marketable skills they learn at Clarion.”
Although some programs will no longer accept new students such as music education and French, the students currently enrolled in those programs will be able to complete their degrees.
The plan identifies 35.75 currently filled positions that are designated for elimination. Of those, 18.75 positions will be eliminated through retrenchment/furlough, including seven by reassignment, nine by retirement, and one by reorganization. Fourteen currently vacant positions will be eliminated and seven new faculty positions will be advertised for a net total reduction of 42.75 positions.
“These difficult decisions do not reflect the quality of the affected individuals’ work. Rather, they are necessary for alignment of staffing with university program needs,” said Whitney.
According to the revised plan, the University plans to simultaneously invest in growth and growth-supporting areas; eliminate areas of declining enrollments and activities that have not yielded desired results, and build enrollment through increased student retention.
The University hopes to address the budget deficit as follows:
• $8.3 million reduction of expenses in specific reductions of the workforce;
• $2 million increase in revenue through specific increases in student retention; and
• $1.7 million reduction of expenses as a result of increased operational efficiencies and improvements.
The plan also calls for investing in the growth areas of business, science and technology, and health professions, and realigning its traditionally strong teacher education professional program.
Highlights of the plan include:
• The development of a Doctorate of Nursing Practice program, as well as Bachelor of Science degrees in criminal justice administration, nursing, and nutrition and fitness.
• The realignment of the current College of Education and Human Services to form separate schools, the School of Education and the School of Health Sciences. The School of Education will focus on programs that best prepare teachers for the changing instructional profession. The School of Health Sciences will be comprised of programs currently in the School of Nursing and Allied Health, as well as athletic training, sports and wellness; communication and speech disorders; health and physical education; and rehabilitative sciences. As far as what colleges the two programs will align with, Whitney said that decision is still under discussion.
“I think I’d have to defer to the provost if there’s any late-breaking news, but I haven’t gotten a final proposal on where the schools will be located.”
Clarion currently has a college of arts and science, a college of business administration, and Venango College.
• The integration of programs of the Center for Academic Enrichment into a new, one-stop Center for Student Success. The center will include: academic tutoring and testing; advising; career development and exploration; Clarion orientation and transition; early warning and student intervention services; first- and second-year experience programs; internship and external placement services; office of student disability accommodation; programs for underrepresented students and students of color; programs for academically underperforming students; TRIO grant-funded student support programs; and veterans’ support.
• The restructure of the College of Arts and Sciences, combining departments to reduce the total number of departments to five. Among them, the departments of communication and theatre will be combined to provide more opportunity for collaboration and sharing of expertise. The utilization of theatre faculty in communication instruction brings more tenured faculty into the classroom.
• The discontinuation of two bachelor’s degree programs, music education, and language education/French, which will be placed in moratorium – the programs will no longer accept new students, but students already in the programs will receive the classes and support they need, through graduation.
“The new School of Education will build upon current strengths and opportunities which reflect student enrollment and employer demands,” said Dr. Ron Nowaczyk, provost and vice president for academic affairs.
“In addition to the continued development of credentials leading to licensure, the school will also develop educational programs – from certificates to degrees – that are not focused on teacher certification.”
According to the plan, the university will:
• Introduce a new health and wellness model during the current academic year, in which student health services, counseling services, drug and alcohol education, and intramurals and recreation will be combined under a single area with one director.
• Appoint a committee comprised of student-athletes, coaches, community members, and university administrators to review the current structure of athletics programs and to recommend, by July 1, 2014, a sustainable, tiered intercollegiate sports program.
“No sports will be cut,” said Whitney when questioned. “If we knew that, we would say that. This is that kind of report. If we knew that there was something that was going to be eliminated, it would be in this report. What we are committed to in tiering is coming to terms where our student interest is in sports, what sports can be funded in some average way and which sports are we going to have but are going to be funded at the minimum. No one has recommended elimination of football, and in fact, I have never had a conversation as president about that, and I hope never to have one.”
Whitney said that there would continue to be a marching band despite the elimination of the music education program. “We will maintain two faculty in the area of music,” said Whitney. “The original proposal was to keep one and after some very deep discussions with students, alumni, and faculty, we’re going to keep two.”
“With two music faculty members, we believe we can do what this report outlines and that’s a couple of things. One, we can continue to offer music as part of general education, the core curriculum of the university, that will provide a broad exposure to music. Two, we plan to offer one other student musical activity in addition to marching band. I don’t believe we’ve come to terms with that, yet, but that’s definitely what we want to do.”
McDaniel feels the president’s and provost’s vision boils down to a few things. She offered a few of her own observations.
1) “The purpose of higher education is for students to gain ‘marketable skills.’ NO! Lost in this vision is the value of the liberal arts, and the fact that being educated means more that just an accumulation of ‘skills.’”
2) “That unions and their collective bargaining agreements are ‘cost inflators imposed’ on the university. WRONG! I suggest that interested readers go to pennwatch.pa.gov and see how much Clarion University’s administrators are paid. Some of them are among the highest paid in the State System. And compare the number of managers at Clarion with the number at Lock Haven. And what about the number of consultants hired by the administration over the last 2+ years? Lots of money going out the door and not for students’ education. In fact, only 34 percent of Clarion University’s operating budget is spent on instruction.”
3) “The self-congratulatory tone that permeates this document is insulting, and a slap in the face of every employee at Clarion–whether they are retrenched, furloughed, reassigned or remaining. The plan is not ‘bold,’ nor is it ‘ambitious.’ It is poorly conceived and based upon faulty logic.”
4) “I could go on and on, but let me ask you what the following statement means: ‘$1.7 million reduction of expenses as a result of increased operational efficiencies and improvements.’ Does this statement give any real information? I think not.”
Clarion University, according to its official news release, “will be better positioned to achieve its mission to provide transformative, lifelong learning opportunities through innovative, nationally recognized programs delivered in inclusive, student-centered environments; its vision, to be a leader in high-impact educational practices that benefit students, employers and community partners; and its goals, to encourage student, faculty and staff success, to promote a diverse student body and employee workforce, to expand our engagement with society, and to thrive financially.”
Whitney is well aware of the impact on employees who will be losing their jobs.
“I checked with HR today, and they’ve continued to meet with employees, every single employee who’s being affected by this plan, and meeting one on one,” said Whitney. “We’re working to meet everyone’s individual needs. For the folks that are being laid off from here, we ask how can we help them find possible work elsewhere at another university in the State System or in any way we can; we want to be helpful. We care deeply for each person, and when you care deeply, you do everything you can do.”
Clarion University President Karen Whitney. Photo taken by Joanne Bauer.
Clarion University Golden Eagles. Photo courtesy Clarion University.
Founders Hall. Photo by Joanne Bauer.
Carlson Library. Photo by Joanne Bauer.
Eagle Commons Dining Facility. Photo by Joanne Bauer.