LARAMIE, Wyo. (AP) - Amid budget cuts and a voluntary severance program, the University of Wyoming has lost four times as many faculty members in the past year than it has in recent years.
The severance program, part of a $10 million university cut, accounted for 43 of the 86 professors, researchers, lecturers and other instructors who left. Resignations accounted for the other 43.
Between 20-25 faculty leave in a typical year, Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs Kate Miller told the Laramie Boomerang (https://bit.ly/2yfr1cr ).
“I can’t tell you about every single faculty member, but I think there was a lot of concern around the budget cuts and what that meant for the future of the university,” Miller said.
The faculty exodus could be difficult to manage this academic year. University officials predict record freshman enrollment and slightly higher enrollment overall.
The cuts might dissuade many potential new hires from even applying, political science professor Gregg Cawley said.
“We’re on the verge of being able to hire people, we’re told,” he said. “But if people out on the job market, looking around, are now going to be able to see what’s been going on at the University of Wyoming, that might serve as a disincentive for them to apply here.”
Many who have left and many who remain are exhausted following budget cuts, stagnant pay and other changes, including a College of Arts and Sciences reorganization that merged many departments.
“My sense is we’ve got a lot of faculty who are simply worn out right now,” Cawley said. “All of this other activity is taking place on top of our normal teaching and research loads.”
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Information from: Laramie Boomerang, https://www.laramieboomerang.com
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