Chancellor Carolyn “Biddy” Martin sent today (Dec. 18) an e-mail letter to all faculty, staff and students that provides more information and context on the budget situation.
Chancellor Carolyn “Biddy” Martin sent today (Dec. 18) an e-mail letter to all faculty, staff and students that provides more information and context on the budget situation.
12:15 p.m.
I suggest that in lieu of lay-offs, if it comes to that, we employees (faculty and staff) take x days off without pay or a percent reduction in our wages, particularly if we are at the higher end of payrolls. By keeping people on payroll, we reduce the number of jobless in our communities, reduce the number assisted by tax-payer benefits (jobless benefits), reduce the number of homes lost, reduce the amount of taxpayer costs (homeless aide, food aides, medical costs), and reduce the crime rate, among other advantages. In addition, retained employees retain their health insurance. We are all part of the same community, and for all of us to survive the economic downturn, we must all pitch in. I have heard that Engineering took a 10% cut in pay one time in oder to support their group during difficult economic times, so this is not an unusual exercise.
2:36 p.m.
Chancellor Martin’s letter is a spectacular example of solid (and I’m hoping genuine) communication which perhaps may become the hallmark of a new era in politics, business and public discourse. I honor any example such as this one that reflects the sea change in leadership and everyday interchange marked by–but hopefully reaching far beyond–Obama’s election. In Chancellor Martin’s letter I am particularly fond of paragraph 13 (2nd from the last) emphasizing civility (or even compassion) in the workplace… does that include janitorial staff, university housing and food service workers? I also appreciate her note of optimism about federal funding at the end of the letter. In this same spirit, I completely agree with Mara McDonald and feel that there is not a more important response to be made to our times than retaining jobs and pulling together. Thanks for your leadership, Chancellor Martin.
Harambee,
Dianne L. Riley
URPL Masters Candidate
4:01 p.m.
[...] UW-Madison will respond to the consequences of today’s slumping economy is the subject of a message delivered Dec. 18 from Chancellor Martin. That response is also the topic of a series of campus-wide brainstorming sessions held this [...]
9:39 p.m.
I appreciate the transparency and openness that has been shown by the Chancellor’s Office to address what is to be budgetary shortcomings. I was happy to have had the chance to attend one of the forums, and I encourage the Chancellor to continue to seek feedback from Students, Staff, and Faculty on a more regular basis than was done in the past. I think it is important to approach our current situation from a holistic perspective. Certainly, there is much that we can do despite that state of the economy. Last, we must remember that for as dire as the economic atmosphere appears to be, the political atmosphere—at both the state and federal level—is sure to become more friendly to higher education than it has been at anytime in the near past.