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http:// --> Ashland, Oregon HOME Valley & State Sports Nation & World Opinion/Editorial Classifieds Business Columnists Local Issues Obituaries Weather Archive Revels Etcetera Backpage Hot Topics Most Viewed Forum Photo Galleries Video Readers Polls O-Zone Online Games Movie Preview Special Sections Real Estate Guide Menu Guide Shakespeare Subscribe Contact Us Rate Card Place an Ad Top Galleries: January 19, 2007 Budget cuts shake SOU By Alan Panebaker Ashland Daily Tidings Orville Hector | Daily Tidings Wes Brain learned on Jan. 8 his position at Southern Oregon University is one of 17 that will be cut as the university seeks to reduce its expenses. On Jan. 8, Wes Brain learned he would no longer work for Southern Oregon University. The news shook Brain, who works in the environmental health and safety department. "It's an attack on the core of a human being when you get a pink slip," he said. Brain took little comfort in learning that budget cuts, not his performance, caused his dismissal. Brain has until Feb. 7 to decide whether to move into a different position and possibly take a pay cut or look for work outside SOU. Brain, who has played a prominent role in local activism of the years, said he worries cutting his position will create some health issues for all university employees because it will eliminate the person who focuses on the health and safety of all university workers. "I'm fighting for my job, and I'm fighting for the health and safety of the university," he said. As a member of the Service Employees International Union, Brain said he has a union contract that will allow him more flexibility. Brain is active leader in the local union, frequently organizing public events. In dealing with a $4 million budget shortfall, the state university cut 17 positions earlier this month. The cuts should make up for $2.4 million of the budget shortfall, and another $1.6 million in cuts will be announced Monday. SOU President Mary Cullinan will announce a provisional plan that could result in laying off tenured faculty. This announcement will open a 20-day comment period, and a formal plan will be released March 5. Declining full-time enrolled students and state funding combined to create the deficit that the newly hired president began addressing this fall. An emotional week followed the president's announcement of the first round of layoffs. With Monday's announcement coming, students and faculty anxiously anticipate more bad news. While the university reels from the news that more cuts are to come, Jonathan Eldridge, vice president of student affairs at SOU, said he hopes the painful tightening this winter will lead the way toward a more efficient university. "I firmly believe by next year, we will be providing better, more streamlined processes for your college education," he said. Eldridge said the university will utilize technological assets it has on campus to do better work with fewer people. He said the university will continue to emphasize recruiting efforts, and lobby for more funding through Gov. Ted Kulongoski's proposed budget. Eldridge said a consolidated one-stop enrollment services center will streamline the process of applying for financial aid, registering and paying for tuition. "We will be doing better work with fewer actual people," he said. Monday's announcement is expected to spell out possible cuts in academic departments, an issue of high concern among SOU students. Jenna Brehm, a senior at SOU studying criminology and psychology, said a lot of students do not seem to understand the entire situation. "It's a big deal that a lot of students don't know about yet," she said. "They aren't going to grasp the whole effect of it for a while." Chauncey Kieley, a senior studying sociology at the university, agreed that many students were still waiting for more information. The funding issue, he said, appears to be societal. "I just think it's too bad there's not more public support for higher education," Kieley said. He said he wishes people would put more focus on social issues locally and at the state and national level. "In our culture, there's a real turning inward rather than solving problems in society," Kieley said. "I think education is the best path for resolving some of the problems we have." At the state level, the governor's proposed budget could offer more optimism at SOU. If approved, the 2007-2009 budget would allot $827.1 million to the Oregon University System for operating expenses. The funding would be $89.7 million more than Oregon's public universities are receiving for operating expenses in 2005-07. Rep. Peter Buckley, D-Ashland, said he and others are working to get the governor's budget approved. As one of the hardest hit universities with funding shortfalls, Buckley said he hopes to work closely with SOU in its process of change. Buckley said he wants to see state funding stabilize the university system. "We have to stabilize the entire system for higher education, so we can begin to rebuild," he said. Staff writer Alan Panebaker can be reached at 482-3456 x 227 or [email protected] . Current Comments: being that he is a so called activist, if he spent time doing his job and not being a union hack, he might still have a job. I bet the college could not wait for an excuse to get rid of this guy. At least the unemployment rate is 5%, if you can not get a job with this economy, you are not hireable. SOU has in the 25 years I have been associated with the school has always had a so called budget problem, you can only cry wolf for so long. mattclassof94 - ashland, or - January 19th, 7:52 PM It's sad to see these cutbacks. Eldridge is a little idealistic and unrealistic. Technology won't replace a human advocate like Brain nor the human instructors who will be cut next. These cuts won't lead to cheaper tuition, just fewer education opportunities and a less safe physical plant. Students will still be leaving SOU with $20-30,000 debts.... Tom - Ashland, Oregon - January 19th, 8:02 PM Hopefully this round of cuts will come with some explanation. Of the 17: - 2 "laid off" were shifted between budgets. - 5 did not affect the general fund but were cut because Eldridge "felt those jobs were unnecessary." - 4 student mail carriers for a "savings" of $18k, but paid tuition back to the general fund. - 6 left were explained as part-time staff. - The "technological assets" actually don't exist and will cost $50k+. - The "student input" were 2 students in closed-door meetings. Fed Up - Ashland, OR - January 19th, 11:36 PM It was very fine to see this front page featured at the Anne Feeney labor concert last night. 50-60 people showed up to stand up with our workers and for strong community services. Who is going to do the health and safety grunt work at SOU? Fire extinguisher maintanence /monitoring, accident reports, ergonomic work station plans, state and federal health / safety compliance work? Let's keep trained professionals at SOU and a healthy and safe environment for students and workers! Lawyer - Medford, OR - January 20th, 10:21 AM Leave a Comment: Advertisement: Advertisement: Paid Advertising: Debt Help Inkjet Printers Student Loans Water Filter Helzberg Diamonds Mortgage Calculator Security Systems Debt Relief Advertisement: Copyright © 2007 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers. All Rights Reserved. Del.icio.us