SIU to lay off 51 civil service workers
Wednesday, May 31, 2017 - Posted by Rich Miller
* WSIL…
Southern Illinois University in Carbondale is laying off at least 51 civil service employees.
The layoffs are a direct result of the Illinois budget impasse, which is nearing two years.
The layoff notice was announced Wednesday morning in a memo by Interim Chancellor Brad Colwell.
In March, Colwell said the university would need to permanently cut $19 million from its FY18 budget, which starts on July 1st.
- 47th Ward - Wednesday, May 31, 17 @ 3:54 pm:
51 people who won’t be eating lunch in Carbondale restaurants everyday. 51 people who won’t buy gas to drive to campus. 51 people who won’t be buying coffee every morning.
Bruce Rauner has never been happier in his whole life. He loves his job!
- redeft - Wednesday, May 31, 17 @ 4:03 pm:
Per the letter from the chancellor, there is also the non-renewal of 24 adjunct faculty (with anticipation this number will grow), lay off of 2 non-tenure track faculty, non-renewal of 2 administrative staff, other administrative staff moved to term rather than continuing appointment, reduction of student work positions by 200 positions. This is in addition to 158 positions that are left unfilled. And is on top of cuts in prior years.
- PublicServant - Wednesday, May 31, 17 @ 4:03 pm:
I’m sure those 51 employees were insider friends of the SIU President. In addition, the savings to Illinois taxpayers will average at least $0.03+…well until you count the unemployment bennies, food stamps, etc. Governor Gridlock winning.
- Get it Solved - Wednesday, May 31, 17 @ 4:09 pm:
Keep up the Good work Dale Fowler, Paul Schimpf, Terri Bryant & Dave Severin. 700 days without a budget and towns are crumbling in your district.
- filmmaker prof - Wednesday, May 31, 17 @ 4:17 pm:
just hang in there. we’re winning.
- DuPage - Wednesday, May 31, 17 @ 4:18 pm:
A lot of deferred maintenance for SIUC. Just look at what deferred maintenance has done for the Thompson center. Even after Rauner’s time as governor goes into the historical trash pile, SIUC will have to deal with replacing the buildings neglected and deteriorated by Rauner’s non-budgets.
- filmmaker prof - Wednesday, May 31, 17 @ 4:19 pm:
47th - how about 51 (according to Rauner) not-taxpayers actually becoming not taxpayers?
- Chicagonk - Wednesday, May 31, 17 @ 4:21 pm:
@Getitsolved - You forgot Brandon Phelps.
- 47th Ward - Wednesday, May 31, 17 @ 4:25 pm:
C’mon Filmmaker prof, they have to pay income tax on their unemployment benefits. They’ll be taxpayers for at least 26 more weeks.
- James Knell - Wednesday, May 31, 17 @ 4:47 pm:
I wonder how many of the 51 civil services think it’s Madigan’s fault or buy into false equivalency (because nothing can EVER be 100% the fault of the rich & mighty Republicans. Governor Gaslighter strikes again.
- btowntruth from forgottonia - Wednesday, May 31, 17 @ 5:15 pm:
More than you might think,James.
Someone should tell Candidate Rauner what Governor Rauner is helping cause.
- Saluki - Wednesday, May 31, 17 @ 5:22 pm:
It’s a sad day for my community and university.
- Annonin' - Wednesday, May 31, 17 @ 5:49 pm:
Mr/MsJamesKnell
The SIU folks probably remember Madigan boosted higher ed funding while the GOPies sat on their hands
- Blue dog dem - Wednesday, May 31, 17 @ 8:25 pm:
Saluki. And others. Having been in8 the US steel industry for the last 42 years, i understand the pain and suffering of these folks. Heart wrenching.
Living within 10 miles of the campus, i see things,albeit from a distance, that make me scratch my head. Sometimes things have to happen. I think you understand that SIUC is in trouble. Not only from a state support level, but a changing demographics. Terrible. But reality. If you are deniar, then so be it. But something, or attitudes at SIUC have to change, or we will be the next EIU.
- Chucktownian - Wednesday, May 31, 17 @ 9:06 pm:
At this point I would contend EIU is in better fiscal shape than SIUC. We’re certainly doing better than 1964 enrollment numbers. You can’t keep a research university operating at that size. You’re running a $30M annual deficit currently. Just keeping it real.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, May 31, 17 @ 9:11 pm:
- Chucktownian -
It’s not on you, don’t take it that way, please, but the fact we’re trying to see which university is worth “saving” when a governor refuses to fully fund higher education, causing additional crisis to possible closures…
… how can these college towns think Rauner and Raunerites are good for these towns?
- Anonymous - Wednesday, May 31, 17 @ 9:13 pm:
“Keep up the Good work Dale Fowler, Paul Schimpf, Terri Bryant & Dave Severin.”
Yeah, good work representing your party. How about representing your constituents? Does Terri Bryant even know that SIU is in her district? Has anyone even seen Terri lately?
- Dutch3001 - Wednesday, May 31, 17 @ 10:42 pm:
I worked for IDOC when Dr. David Kenny (Siu political science professor) was the Director, much to the chagrin of duck hunters everywhere. Kenny made a point of inviting a different IDOC employee to have lunch with him. Guy who cut the grass at Giant City State Park, division head, secretary, whoever, eventually you had lunch with Kenny. I will never forget my lunch with him. I was a low level staffer he didn’t know from Adam. Over lunch he asked what I did, how I liked my job, what did I think could be done different. The guy was really interested in learning from his employees, bottom and top, about how IDOC worked and what could be done to improve it. I now work for SIUC. No top administrator has ever asked me what I do or what I think could be done to help SIU weather the current crisis. Between Rauner and the current SIUC leadership, SIUC will be lucky to survive.
- Southern Dawg - Thursday, Jun 1, 17 @ 9:20 am:
Geez, Dutch…why wait to be asked? Just send an email to the Chancellor.