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E-mail Home > Blogs > Get on the Bus > Archives > 2010 > October > 15 > Entry
CSU to furlough workers, close over holidays to plug deficit
WILBERFORCE - Central State University will shut down over the holidays, furlough employees and freeze hiring and pay in order to make up a $2.8 million budget deficit.
University officials announced their strategy Friday for dealing with the shortfall they say is caused by a dip in new freshmen students and the delay of state funding. “A part of the strategy is to make sure students are not affected in any way,” said Fran Robinson, university spokeswoman. The campus closure will occur after the semester ends.
The university will close the day before Thanksgiving and for 13 days over the holidays, reopening Jan. 3, Robinson said. Employees will go without pay for eight of those days. The school also froze hiring effective immediately and will give no raises to non-union employees in 2011.
Earlier this month the Ohio Board of Regents announced the state intended to delay the last payment of funding for instruction until the next fiscal year. Most schools are treating it as a budget cut.
CSU school officials pointed to the troubled national economy as reason for the dip in new enrollment, while the number of transfer students climbed slightly. Most Miami Valley universities experienced record-breaking numbers of new freshmen this year.
In a statement, CSU President John W. Garland, said the funding shortfall is similar to the budgeting problems facing other organizations across the state and nation. “We can’t cut our way to financial health,” the statement said. “We must also grow enrollment, through both recruitment and retention.”
CSU is lagging behind a state initiative set for the school, called “Speed to Scale,” that hoped to grow enrollment to more than 6,000 students by 2017. Total enrollment is roughly 2,500 students this year.
Permalink | Comments (16) | Post your comment | Categories: Colleges and Universities
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By Reasoner
October 18, 2010 11:08 PM | Link to this
The comments by Really are misplaced. The furlough affects all but faculty. The non union staff enjoy higher raises - the union members are destined to low percentages of raises. Regarding comments by Joe, the CSU enrollment is an indicator of the current economic condition of blacks in Ohio and surrounding states Nearly 58% of CSU students come from families that make less than $20,000/ year. I wish people checked their facts before posting comments.
By Reasoner
October 18, 2010 6:16 PM | Link to this
Regarding these comments -unions are not causing this difficulty but the economic difficulties of African Americans. The fact that the enrollment went down is an indicator of the suffering by the black community under the current economic condition.
By loveprims
October 18, 2010 10:14 AM | Link to this
Hey, just in time for the Christmas holidays - that 8 days of “no pay” is sure going to help the economy in retail sales. Christmas is not about material things, but young children don’t always realize that! I guess the giving won’t be so great for these givers this year! When is this “crap” going to stop?? Take some away from the “BIG CHEESE” sometimes, see how they like it - bet they would gripe & whine for sure! For those affected, please keep the “faith”.
By 4stargal
October 18, 2010 9:03 AM | Link to this
CSU President stated that the school must retain 90% of the existing student body during the fall to spring period of 2010-2011. Professors report that 70% of freshmen students are failing their courses. The state’s funding system clearly declares Ohio will not provide education for at risk students - which the president states makes up at least 60% of the student body. Is there a need for CSU when their retention shows they are recruiting students who may be better off in vocational schools?
By Paul
October 18, 2010 8:17 AM | Link to this
Have hey considered the fact CSU is not a good school compared to the better options in the area? Wake up, CSU. It’s not the economy.
By Jake Nelson, III
October 17, 2010 4:20 PM | Link to this
CSU had a dip in enrollment as compared to an increase of 20% at WSU. This “Speed to Scale” is a totally bogus idea and the funding for it should be stopped.
By Carol
October 17, 2010 1:03 PM | Link to this
The blame here is not on the union workers. It is on management and leadership. Nationally, our leaders have permitted jobs (labor) to be exported by CEO’s (capital) while simulatenously allowing banks (capital) to run without regulation and ruin the economy. The economy then affects the state’s budget which affects workers who lose their jobs and houses. Locally, CSU leaders can’t acheive the same enrollment growth as local peers. As a result of this failure of leadership,non-union labors suffers at CSU. Non-union labor suffers first because it has no protection and, therefore, no rights. Union labor will suffer, too, but at least will have some say in the suffering and some recourse to continue to pressure CSU leadership to perform at least as well as their peers at nearby institutions. Don’t blame CSU unions for managements’ failures. You’re REALLY being played. Do not fall for the game of pitting non-union workers against union workers. We’re all workers who are in a bad place because of bad management—of the country and of CSU. Get real!
By Reality
October 17, 2010 11:45 AM | Link to this
That’s why workers should join together—solidarity. Unions are the answer to workers’ problems, not the cause. Companies have done a good job on slandering and stigmatizing unions, but in the end workers with any protection are union workers. When factories move work overseas to avoid unions, this should not be a call to end organized labor here, but rather a call for more organization abroad. We all do better when we all do better. Non-union workers need to stop complaining about the rights and benefits of union workers—while enjoying many of the rights for which organized workers have fought. Instead, join a union; create a union; fight for the cause. If not, you’re left with minimum wage and few benefits.
By Max
October 17, 2010 8:41 AM | Link to this
While the state’s cuts remain a seperate issue, CSU should be commended for doing, immediately, what they can to be financially responsible while ensuring students will not be affected. 8 days without pay is better than unemployement and while CSU didn’t have the leverage with the union workers to do the same, the union had an opportunity to buff its own tarnish by voluntarily following CSU’s non-union example. Maybe they will. There may be also some public school districts that could follow CSU’s lead.
By not really
October 16, 2010 11:12 AM | Link to this
What are you talking about the non-union get the shaft again? Maybe you should take a look around…State UNION workers are taking 10 days without pay, freeze in step increases, plus other economic items frozen. As for other non-union employees perhaps you should seek employment working for the current Attorney General. He gave increases to non-union employees prior to implementing the 10 day furlough so many actually ended up with a raise; Plus hires new administrative PR employees at a rate that exceeds union wages paid for educated skilled workers. As for collective bargaining being nonsense go back prior to it being law, 7 years without a raise, Government employees receiving food stamps…Yeah no union needed…know what you are talking about before you post!
By ComeON
October 15, 2010 8:41 PM | Link to this
Blame Unions again…seems like an Olympic sport today
By told you
October 15, 2010 6:29 PM | Link to this
I told you folks a few years ago that the leadership is the problem john and his band of clowns (adm. staff) should be fired for bad management. I bet you he is not hurt because he is making way too much money for what he is doing. Poor poor workers for csu get out while you can…
By JD
October 15, 2010 5:11 PM | Link to this
CSU staff are among the worst in the country. The counselors are horrible and the school is a mess.
By Speed to Disaster
October 15, 2010 4:23 PM | Link to this
There may be a good reason why freshmen are flocking to other universities.
By Really
October 15, 2010 3:19 PM | Link to this
So the non-union employees get the shaft again. The union folks will keep on doing just fine. When are the state legislators going to take on collective bargining and stop this foolishness. I guess when the campaign contributions from the unions dry up.
By Joe
October 15, 2010 2:22 PM | Link to this
“CSU school officials pointed to the troubled national economy as reason for the dip in new enrollment, while the number of transfer students climbed slightly. Most Miami Valley universities experienced record-breaking numbers of new freshmen this year.” This right here shows that CSU is the issue, not the economy.