CWU protesters say enough with cuts

ELLENSBURG, Wash. -- More than 30 members of the Public School Employees of Washington marched throughout the Central Washington University campus Wednesday, protesting what they describe as unfair and unequitable cuts to certified staff.

"They didn't listen to our voices at all," said PSE President Angie Wedekind, referring to recent budget cuts. "They haven't explained why alternatives wouldn't work."

Several weeks ago, President James Gaudino began revising the budget to absorb $3 million in state budget cuts. The state slashed support for the university by 30 percent in spring 2009 and another 6.3 percent in April.

By the end of May, the university of 9,700 students will have laid off eight classified and exempt employees.An additional 248 -- most of whom are secre- taries, middle management, custodians and other support staff -- will have their yearly hours cut.

Notifications began a couple weeks ago and are ongoing in Student Affairs and Enrollment Management division. At the protest, employees said they were told their hours are being permanently reduced by 88 per year.

"It's so hard to work at a place you love and see this," said Angela Moore, a secretary for the Center of Teaching and Learning. "We're considered nonessential. ... We don't have job security, which is very sad."

Moore, Wedekind and other members of the state's PSE union -- which has more than 130 people in the Central chapter -- showed their solidarity by chanting "PSE, Equity" and "Save Our Jobs," as they walked through the student union and a few administrative buildings. They also held signs, reading "11 Days = 88 Hours = Hardship" and "Good Faith Bargaining Needed Now."

The protest -- which Gaudino did not attend -- was followed by a university staff meeting, where Gaudino talked with the picketers, students and other staff members about their budgetary concerns. About 200-plus people attended the event.

"It's tense," Gaudino admitted about the mood on campus. "There's fear in some cases, disagreement in some cases and anger over what I have done. Some of the fear of the unknown will settle as people get more comfortable with the changes."

One of these changes is merging Central's four administrative divisions into two, a move Gaudino said will increase efficiency and cooperation.

Because of his experience in development and communication, Gaudino is assuming oversight of University Advancement. He also placed Student Affairs and Enrollment Management within the division of Academic Affairs. Business and Financial Affairs remains unchanged.

In reference to a request from the PSE for more equitable cuts among all staff, Gaudino said the reductions fell hard on classified and exempt workers since they make up the majority of the university's 1,500 employees.He said some departments have already been hit strongly by attrition, so across-the-board cuts wouldn't work.

The budget for fiscal year 2010, which ends June 30, is $92 million. The new spending plan will total about $94 million. The increased budget reflects rising unemployment and medical insurance costs, contract-obligated pay raises for some staff and faculty and a mandate by the Board of Trustees to not use reserve funds.

The most recent round of cuts is on top of previous reductions, including voluntary leave and early retirement. Those cuts yielded $500,000 in savings.

In addition, contracts with about 30 adjunct faculty were not renewed this year, and a 14 percent tuition increase was imposed for both this year and next.