OSHKOSH, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – Concerns among UW-Oshkosh faculty are rising as the school plans to reduce positions.
“The impact is going to be on the students, and that’s unfortunate,” said political science professor, David Siemers.
Siemers tells FOX 11 faculty workload would go up; he blames the significant reduction in state support.
“This is an intentional financial crisis of the states choosing, we didn’t create that problem.”
Siemers said more classes for each faculty member means less attention for each student, and a less quality education.
Chancellor Andrew Leavitt tells FOX 11 the move is needed for the school’s expenses to be in line with revenue.
“We’re not looking to cut anyone, per say, it’s more the case of, as positions become available we simply don’t refill them.”
Leavitt said the school has already reduced more than 100 positions in the last four years.
“We’re down about 1,800 students undergraduate students in the last five years. So, as a result, we simply cannot support the same size faculty and staff.”
Looking at the 6 fall semesters prior to the current one, there was a 15% decline in enrollment. The university said that’s essentially a loss of nearly $10 million.
However, Leavitt said there has been an uptick of first-year students this year.
For Siemers….that brings up more questions.
“We’re in fact up in enrollment in the last year, we’ve been able to operate at this level of staffing for the last 5 years, so why all of a sudden do we need to let people go right?”
As for students, freshman Harrison Morphey tells FOX 11 they just hope they’re in good hands.
“As a student for myself, I hope that’s not going to affect what I have to take in the future.”
The Chancellor said the school has a shortfall of $7 million and its central reserves and fund balances can’t regenerate fast enough to offset the cost.
