Below is the message sent to the Edinboro University community from Dr. Guiyou Huang on Friday, 10/30:
Dear Members of the Edinboro Community,
I’m writing as a follow up to a communication I sent on June 5, “Sustaining the Edinboro Mission: Focusing on the Road Ahead,” which included highlights of a plan to restore Edinboro University to financial health and to position it for the future. The communication addressed a recalibration of our faculty and staff/non-faculty complements to match reduced student enrollments. It also called for combining, integrating or eliminating low-performing programs (academic and administrative) and otherwise reducing costs.
That same day, I issued a letter to local APSCUF President Marc Sylvester, notifying him of the possibility of retrenchment of faculty at the conclusion of the 2020-2021 academic year due to changes in the University’s financial position.
Nearly five months later, after much analysis and very thoughtful consideration, the plan is being realized. Last week, we announced the elimination of 21 academic programs due to low enrollment, low student demand or elimination of a related program. Today, I am writing to inform you of plans to retrench 21 permanent faculty; to not assign work to five regular part-time faculty, and to not renew contracts for multiple adjunct faculty. In short, in addition to the 21 permanent faculty, we’ll be reducing the teaching load assignments by the full-time equivalent (FTE) of 26 temporary/adjunct and regular part-time faculty following the end of the spring semester.
We were able to minimize the impact of retrenchment by arranging for the transfer of 12 permanent faculty members to other academic departments within the University. In addition, nine currently open faculty positions will remain unfilled.
While necessary, these decisions are not easy. They are life-changing for the faculty involved and for their families. Please keep our colleagues in your thoughts and offer support where you can.
Much has changed since March, when COVID-19 exacerbated an already-challenging situation. Today, we are working with our colleagues at California and Clarion universities on an integration of our three institutions. The integration will provide significantly expanded opportunities for students – both inside and outside the classroom as well as in-person and online.
One important goal of integration is to hold down costs for students. The three universities can save money when we work together – and those savings will be re-invested in ways that will benefit students. That could mean new courses, new equipment, expanded student services or maintaining affordable fees.
Even as we move toward integration, Edinboro and our sister institutions must make every effort to ensure each of us is in the best possible financial position. It is what is being asked of us by the State System, and it is the right thing to do.
Change, while hard, is necessary. It is happening across higher education at both private and public colleges and universities. There may not be much solace in knowing we are not alone, but it is the current reality of the higher-education sector.
Again, I ask that you support our faculty colleagues directly affected by retrenchment. I am sure I speak for the University community in expressing deep gratitude for their service to Edinboro and our students.
Sincerely,
Guiyou Huang, PhD
President
