COST CUTTING IRKS FACULTY AT GODDARD
PLAINFIELD -- Faculty members at Goddard College say they are angry at steps trustees have taken to pull the school out of a financial crisis.
At a recent board of trustees meeting, the faculty submitted a memo that asked top administrators to "reverse some decisions and policies which are clearly not in the best interests of the college."
Faculty member were angered by recent layoffs, the suspension of contracts and the administration's decision to cut faculty salaries by 5 percent.
The faculty's memo to college administrators said that by suspending contracts -- one of the directives under the 1990-91 budget -- the college would compromise the curriculum and perhaps risk the college's accreditation.
In addition, the faculty wrote that the salary cut was unacceptable and amounted to a "forced donation" to the school that many are not prepared to offer. The salary cuts are included in next year's budget.
Beth Warrell, acting president and trustee, said Tuesday it was unlikely that the board would reverse the recent personnel cuts and salary cuts, nor reinstitute contracts until the financial outlook for the school appeared more stable.
Warrell, commenting on the faculty's request that the pay cuts be considered a loan, said, "We can't create another liability that the college will have to pay back."
"Salary cuts are simply one of many mechanisms used to make sure that Goddard is financially sound in 199091," Warrell said. "We've had to do a number of things to assure that goal which are very painful."
Lois Weinstein Sontag, trustees chairwoman, would not comment on the board's response to the letter.
Despite Warrell's comment, college faculty are scheduling meetings this week to discuss whether they would take further action.
