University of Texas Chancellor Francisco Cigarroa is making some personnel cuts within System Administration in response to the budget cuts mandated by the state. I am struck by a couple of aspects of these cuts. First, I don't get the sense that the people being cut or, for that matter, the people allowed to stay had much input into the process. Why do I say that? A couple of key phrases in the attached letter, linked below, led me to that conclusion, to wit:
"I, too, have spent considerable time looking at U. T. System Administration, carefully studying all aspects of our organization and budget, as well as taking into consideration your valuable input." (This letter was addressed to UT system component presidents, so the "your" in Cigarroa's sentence had nothing to do with the people being cut.)
"In order to achieve these goals, I am implementing the following System Administration organizational changes effective September 1, 2010."
There's just a little bit too much first-person stuff going on in those two statements for my comfort. There may be no "I" in team, but there sure is one in RIF.
The second thing that struck me in this letter is the liberal use of "sunsetting." What a nice little euphemism that is for throwing people and their families onto the street during a high period of unemployment. I wonder if it makes people feel better to know that they were sunsetted rather than fired or laid off.
Cigarroa's letter to component presidents, several of whom are in the "Million-Dollar Club," is linked below:
Download Cigarroa-presidents system cuts
I've said it in a previous post, and I'm going to say it again: UT faculty had better be on the lookout for administrators using the state budget crisis to unilaterally target faculty rather than receiving faculty input and following system policies.
I think that if we don't have leaders that step back and look at the big picture for overlaps and inefficiencies, and correct for that, we are all lost. Being in a difficult economy where jobs will be lost is not an excuse to harbor inefficiencies in our already hurting academic institutions. The people who will lose jobs in this kind of shuffle are administrators. Their skills are not so specific (compared to scientists and doctors) that they can't easily move into a different admin position when it becomes available. I am not crying over this one.
Posted by: UTMB faculty member | 06/11/2010 at 05:11 PM