OSHKOSH, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – With enrollment numbers down as expected, UW Oshkosh is moving forward with furloughs and a workforce reduction plan.
“People are already building those into their calendars,” UWO Spokesperson Alex Hummel said. “It’s difficult, it’s not fun, but it’s something that everybody has shown a willingness to do just to make sure we can get through this and build a bridge into the next fiscal year.”
Staff and students at UW Oshkosh have known about the budget deficit since early August. The university’s furlough period has been underway since September 10th. The number of furlough days is determined by a employee’s salary. As for implementation, that’s up to each department.
“Departments work with their faculty members to structure those furloughs and find the right times so it’s going to interfere with classroom teaching and learning as little as possible,” Hummel said.
Hummel said 10 days into the semester, enrollment data is in line with initial projections- meaning the university’s plans to address budgetary issues haven’t changed.
“Of course everybody wants to be up but two percent down is something that we worked hard to try and reach and we think we’re going to be okay at that level for the year ahead.”
University officials like Chancellor Andrew Leavitt have previously said these moves are necessary, as he’s attributed much of the expected $18 million dollar deficit to declining enrollment.
“We need to then reshape the university, reorganize to shape the needs of a smaller student population,” Leavitt said at a faculty convocation in August. “We have incredible assets here, incredible potential, what we need to do is figure out how to adjust that.”
At UWO’s main campus, enrollment is down 172 students from last fall. Enrollment is also down about 7% at the Fox Cities campus.
“The access campuses have had struggles and I think that’s true of access campuses around the state but we’re committed to them and preserving the academic delivery of teaching and learning at those campuses,” Hummel said.
Hummel said he’d love to see enrollment go in the opposite direction, but there are still signs of encouragement.
“The university is still continuing, student engagement and involvement appears to be up. Campuses are reportedly healthy this semester as we get going in the fall- and those are all good things too.”
The first-year class at UWO is up about 2%, and overall retention increased from 67% to 72.5% percent from last year.
Faculty layoffs have yet to be recommended, so those plans are still in the works. University officials are also planning voluntary retirements for workforce reduction.
