May 2009
UGL Unicco Proposal Postponed
If You Think the Problems We Create Are Bad,
Under Farley’s reign in office, university reserves have been spent on the new art building, new WEA offices, Stoffer Hall, renovation of Whiting and a water feature. Now that enrollment is down, state funding is down, investment income is down and the cost for health care and utilities are up, the current administration seems to be at a total loss as to how to prepare a budget for the next fiscal year. Apparently, use of reserves to weather this decline is not under consideration.
Just Wait Until You See Our Solutions
So, what has been proposed to balance the budget? Apparently the gap between resources and use of funds was so significant, that merely turning off the lights when not in use, adjusting thermostats, and copying on both sides of the paper were not going to provide sufficient savings to balance a budget based on declining revenues.
Instead, the administration has proposed outsourcing the Facilities Service function, offering an early retirement program, reducing funding for Washburn Transformational Experience, and a rather vague furlough program.
The Ugly Side of Poor Leadership
Based on agenda handouts and comments made at the May 22, 2009 Washburn University Board of Regents Budget/Finance Committee meeting, the proposed FY10 budget is a real indicator of Farley’s lack of leadership.
Although the necessity of budget reductions has been discussed since the Fall, 2008, it appears that the administration came up with the final “solution” to the budget problem just two weeks ago. That is when an outside contractor presented an “unsolicited proposal” to WU to assume all facilities functions currently performed by existing Washburn personnel, with a proposed savings of $538,796.
Poor Planning Creates Emergency
So, WU administrators, with all their infinite wisdom, called a mandatory meeting to announce this change in employment to all the affected employees two days before the Board of Regents met to discuss this “budget solution.” This was such a sudden “solution” to the budget problem that no one took the time to even consult with the labor union affected by the proposal.
When the UGL Unicco proposal was actually presented to the WU Board of Regents committee for consideration, some basic questions regarding compensation, benefits, service levels, and cost of non-renewal of the union contract, went unanswered. Clearly, the administration had not thought this through and action by the WU Board of Regents was postponed.
In the meantime, over 100 Washburn University employees are upset and anxious about their jobs. It appears that the administration’s solution to the budget shortfall was to fall squarely on the backs of those 100 employees who maintain the facilities.
Real Budget Solution or Just Picking On Labor?
The WU Board of Regents actually received the FY10 budget documents prepared with the collective bargaining employees off WU's payroll. Although the proposed outsourcing promised a $538,796 budget savings, the total proposed FY10 budget for facilities services actually increased by $721,891, with only $325,000 of the increase attributable to utility costs.
So, Now What?
The Budget/Finance Committee will most likely meet again on June 26 prior to the full Board meeting scheduled for that day.
Should be interesting to see what solution Farley and his feckless followers come up with for that meeting.