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Campus reorganizes budget
Chancellor orders hiring freeze to help curb proposed state cuts
Janie Boschma
Issue date: 3/9/09 Section: Campus News
Chancellor Brian Levin-Stankevich announced Wednesday in a memo to all employees that the vice chancellor for Administration, Finance and Facilities position has been eliminated.
The announcement comes just one week after Levin-Stankevich enforced a campus hiring freeze to slow down the effects of the state budget's proposed $8.6 million cut in funding to UW-Eau Claire over the next two years.
Levin-Stankevich said in the memo that the position's duties will be shared among current administrators for no additional compensation. He also appointed Dave Gessner, director of Business Services and budget officer, to take over the vice chancellor's financial responsibilities. Gessner will serve as the assistant chancellor for Budget and Finance, reporting to Levin-Stankevich as the university's "chief financial officer."
However, Levin-Stankevich said Tuesday the freeze on all vacant faculty positions will not affect the search for a new provost.
"We have to have a provost one way or another," he said. "We're continuing the search with the intent of hiring a provost."
Levin-Stankevich enacted the freeze Feb. 25 to give administrators more time to think of creative solutions to balance UW-Eau Claire's 2009-11 budget.
Under the freeze, all potential hires are subject to the chancellor's and Interim Provost Marty Wood's direct scrutiny. Levin-Stankevich said some new faculty members will still be hired. Because faculty and staff salaries account for 88 percent of the university's budget, Levin-Stankevich said the freeze is the most effective way to evaluate the majority of spending.
"I needed to make sure we pretty much stop spending next year's money until we get a better handle on what we can do," Levin-Stankevich said. "It gives us a chance to stop for a second, take a breath and make some decisions. Even a freeze isn't entirely fair because some people were quicker to fill their positions, and they're filled."
There were 49 vacant faculty positions as of early February, and most are in various stages of hiring. About another 30 had been hired between December and February, for a total of 80 vacant positions since December.
The announcement comes just one week after Levin-Stankevich enforced a campus hiring freeze to slow down the effects of the state budget's proposed $8.6 million cut in funding to UW-Eau Claire over the next two years.
Levin-Stankevich said in the memo that the position's duties will be shared among current administrators for no additional compensation. He also appointed Dave Gessner, director of Business Services and budget officer, to take over the vice chancellor's financial responsibilities. Gessner will serve as the assistant chancellor for Budget and Finance, reporting to Levin-Stankevich as the university's "chief financial officer."
However, Levin-Stankevich said Tuesday the freeze on all vacant faculty positions will not affect the search for a new provost.
"We have to have a provost one way or another," he said. "We're continuing the search with the intent of hiring a provost."
Levin-Stankevich enacted the freeze Feb. 25 to give administrators more time to think of creative solutions to balance UW-Eau Claire's 2009-11 budget.
Under the freeze, all potential hires are subject to the chancellor's and Interim Provost Marty Wood's direct scrutiny. Levin-Stankevich said some new faculty members will still be hired. Because faculty and staff salaries account for 88 percent of the university's budget, Levin-Stankevich said the freeze is the most effective way to evaluate the majority of spending.
"I needed to make sure we pretty much stop spending next year's money until we get a better handle on what we can do," Levin-Stankevich said. "It gives us a chance to stop for a second, take a breath and make some decisions. Even a freeze isn't entirely fair because some people were quicker to fill their positions, and they're filled."
There were 49 vacant faculty positions as of early February, and most are in various stages of hiring. About another 30 had been hired between December and February, for a total of 80 vacant positions since December.
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