Glotzbach devises financial outline for Skidmore
Issue date: 2/5/10 Section: Letters
* The strategic hiring freeze and restrictions in overtime, in place since October 2008, have yielded savings in personnel costs equivalent to approximately 30 positions.
* The voluntary Early Retirement Incentive Program (ERIP) has yielded savings in personnel costs equivalent to approximately 25 positions, far exceeding our expectations.
These and other factors - most notably the absence of a general salary adjustment (GSA) for the current year with no GSA planned for the following year, and the cost-containment efforts and sacrifices of the entire Skidmore community - have combined to create a stronger financial outlook than could reasonably have been predicted even six months ago.
After reviewing these and other developments with the IPPC and the Budget and Finance Committee of the Board of Trustees, we have determined that it is no longer necessary to seek additional non-voluntary reductions in force (RIF's) from among our full-time employees as part of the FY '11 budget planning process.
We will, however, continue to see changes within our workforce. We will maintain both the strategic hiring freeze and restrictions on overtime for at least one additional year. We also will continue to limit the use of part-time and temporary employees. Furthermore, some positions will be restructured (through reorganizations, work reassignments, changes in positions, union "bumping," etc.), and other positions will have their hours reduced. Those employees who are directly affected will feel these developments acutely, and all of us need to understand that these persons will see reductions in their take-home pay and, in some cases, significant changes in their work. At the same time, these measures will place additional demands on other employees. And the entire community will experience some discomfort as services we came to expect in the past are reduced or eliminated. In short, none of these changes is simple or easy. But we must make them in order to avoid additional cuts to our workforce.
* The voluntary Early Retirement Incentive Program (ERIP) has yielded savings in personnel costs equivalent to approximately 25 positions, far exceeding our expectations.
These and other factors - most notably the absence of a general salary adjustment (GSA) for the current year with no GSA planned for the following year, and the cost-containment efforts and sacrifices of the entire Skidmore community - have combined to create a stronger financial outlook than could reasonably have been predicted even six months ago.
After reviewing these and other developments with the IPPC and the Budget and Finance Committee of the Board of Trustees, we have determined that it is no longer necessary to seek additional non-voluntary reductions in force (RIF's) from among our full-time employees as part of the FY '11 budget planning process.
We will, however, continue to see changes within our workforce. We will maintain both the strategic hiring freeze and restrictions on overtime for at least one additional year. We also will continue to limit the use of part-time and temporary employees. Furthermore, some positions will be restructured (through reorganizations, work reassignments, changes in positions, union "bumping," etc.), and other positions will have their hours reduced. Those employees who are directly affected will feel these developments acutely, and all of us need to understand that these persons will see reductions in their take-home pay and, in some cases, significant changes in their work. At the same time, these measures will place additional demands on other employees. And the entire community will experience some discomfort as services we came to expect in the past are reduced or eliminated. In short, none of these changes is simple or easy. But we must make them in order to avoid additional cuts to our workforce.
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