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http://www.omniture.com --> Sections Home Page Local News AP News Blogs Archives Business Classifieds Event Calendar Forums Life Opinion Obituaries Multimedia Photo Gallery Readers Photo Gallery Sports Tempo Weather Road Cams Special Coverage 2006 Britt Festivals --> Shop Our Valley AutoFinder HomeFinder JobFinder Search Our Valley Special Sections Distinctly Northwest Readers' Choice Homelife Magazine Joy Magazine Oregon Golf Info Oregon Wine Info Other Publications Local Links Ashland News eSouthernOregon Newspapers In Education Personals Moving Here Movie Listings TV Listings Volunteer Customer Service Advertise With Us Media Kit Place Classified Ad Contact Us FAQ's Home Delivery Site Map --> Email Story to a Friend January 23, 2007 SOU plans more job cuts, consolidation 24 faculty positions would go, 3 schools would be fused together, 3 majors ended By ANITA BURKE Mail Tribune Faced with a gnawing budget crisis, Southern Oregon University has proposed cutting about 24 faculty positions, eliminating three majors, ending its honors program and consolidating three schools into one new College of Arts and Sciences. The plan, announced Monday by SOU President Mary Cullinan, comes as the university faces a $4 million shortfall. Faced with years of declining or stagnant enrollment, shrinking state support and rising energy and health care costs, Cullinan began a study in November on whether cuts would be needed. She announced Jan. 8 that 17 nonacademic jobs, mostly in student affairs, would be eliminated and eight vacant posts wouldn't be filled. Those cuts, along with travel restrictions and savings in energy use, should make up about $2.4 million of SOU's shortfall. To make up the rest of the gap, Cullinan announced the proposed academic cuts Monday, which include the elimination of German, geology and geography as majors. The German program would end with an upcoming retirement. One geography teaching job and the equivalent of 1.5 full-time jobs in geology would be cut, but classes in those subjects would continue. The honors programs also would end with the elimination of the equivalent of 1.3 full-time jobs, but Cullinan promised to continue discussions on how to meet the needs of high-achieving students who want academic challenges. Advertisement In a question-and-answer period after the announcement, students, professors and other university employees pleaded for their programs, with one geology major breaking into tears and others questioning whether they could complete their course work. "This has been a great program," said Sharon Bywater, of Medford, who will graduate with degrees in German and geology in the spring. She said she started her college career close to home at SOU because she wasn't sure where she wanted to go or what she wanted to do, but the geology program sparked a passion in her. Now she is applying to graduate programs in geology, which require the kind of rigorous science classes she got at SOU, but fears they won't be available after the geology major is eliminated. "I am as torn as anybody could be about these," Cullinan said, "but we have to face budget realities." She noted that while the list of programs to be eliminated is "relatively small," the list of those facing reductions is extensive. "There is a lot of pain in this list," Cullinan said. "However, even with these reductions students can continue on their paths to graduation." Her plan also proposes rolling the schools of Arts and Letters, Social Sciences and Sciences into one College of Arts and Sciences to reap savings through better cooperation, although details are still being worked out. She would like to open the new school by fall 2007. "Synergies" from that consolidation will help SOU deal with the proposed elimination of faculty jobs, including those on tenure tracks, Cullinan said. The equivalent of about 20.5 full-time academic jobs would be trimmed from programs and departments in those three schools. The School of Sciences would give up 6.8 positions, including jobs in math, computer science, chemistry, biology, and environmental studies departments. The School of Arts and Letters would lose 6.5 positions, including jobs in the art, English, communications, music, and history departments. The School of Social Sciences would lose 6.2 positions, including jobs in the criminology, economics, women's studies, international studies, and health and physical education departments. The international studies program will lose its only full-time employee. In the health and P.E. department, some coaches will lose their part-time teaching positions so they will no longer draw from the general fund, officials said. One job will be cut from the campus library. The consolidation also will eliminate a handful of administrative staff jobs, bringing the total of nonacademic jobs lost to 30, officials said. Provost Earl Potter said that everything on campus had to be scrutinized, but the smallest programs got the closest looks. "These cuts would be the least damaging to the university," he said. He and Cullinan said that programs were evaluated based on how they fit into SOU's strategic plan as a regional university, enrollment trends, class sizes, grants and gifts generated, effect on other programs at the school and quality and effectiveness. Still, Potter noted, "We are at the point in this university's life where we have to cut things that are wonderful. These are very fine programs. It's not because these programs failed. The solution you are being presented with is the least bad." The university will collect comments on the proposal until Feb. 19, then introduce a final plan for cuts on March 5. For more information, see the SOU Web site at www.sou.edu/president. Reach reporter Anita Burke at 776-4485, or e-mail [email protected] . Would you like to respond to this story? 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