San José State Announces Non-Faculty Layoffs
Contact: Pat Lopes Harris, 408-656-6999
SAN JOSE, Calif., — Facing a projected 2010-2011 shortfall of at least $18 million, San José State University announced today it will implement layoffs, eliminate vacant positions and reduce spending on part-time temporary faculty members. Also, SJSU will transfer a limited number of positions to non-state funded sources and cut operating expenses.
“It is with great reluctance that we make this announcement,” President Jon Whitmore said. “This will affect every division from academics to athletics to my office, and could not come at a more difficult time, with demand for admissions at a historic high, and California’s economic recovery dependent on a college-educated workforce. However, we simply must downsize and reorganize our operation to match expected funding.”
San José State is midway through a two-year effort to shrink its base budget to $263 million. To make permanent an $18 million reduction achieved this year through furlough savings, SJSU will lay off approximately 76 staff members and reassign 48 more in accordance with labor agreements effective July 1, 2010. SJSU will also eliminate 49 vacant staff and 7 vacant management positions, transfer 21 positions to non-state funded sources and cut operational expenses.
“Employees directly affected by these changes form the backbone of our university,” President Whitmore said. “They ensure our offices run smoothly, and our faculty and students receive the services they need. Enrollment cuts over the past two years will ease the pressure, but not enough to leave our remaining students untouched by today’s announcement.”
SJSU reduced enrollment from approximately 32,750 headcount at the start of 2008-2009 to 27,400 headcount by the end of 2009-2010. Before the changes announced today, SJSU employed approximately 1,816 faculty members, 1,184 staff members and 186 managers, for a grand total of 3,186 employees.
The California State University Employees Union and the Academic Professionals of California represent nearly all directly affected staff members. All SJSU employees who are members of the two unions will be offered voluntary work-time reductions in accordance with labor agreements. SJSU will offer outplacement services to all workers who are laid off or decline reassignment.
San José State — Silicon Valley’s largest institution of higher learning with 27,400 students and 3,190 employees — is part of the California State University system. SJSU’s 154-acre downtown campus anchors the nation’s 10th largest city.