Outlook / the University of Maryland, College Park (1991)

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McKeldin Library
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A WEEKLY NEWSPAPER FOR FACULTY AND STAFF AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND AT COLLEGE PARK

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MARCH 6, 1991
VOLUME 5, NUMBER 20

Resolution of the Board of Regents
Authorizing Furloughs of Employees

Major Points

• Furlough contingency plan has
been adopted for entire university
system.

• Plan could take effect only if
further cuts were requested by the
Governor.

• There would be no reduction of
employee benefits.

• No classes would be cancelled
as a result of the furlough plan.

WHEREAS, the Board of Reg-
ents has responsibility for the gov-
ernance of the University of Mary-
land System, including responsibil-
ity for establishment of personnel
policies, subject to applicable provi-
sions of Article 64A of the Annotat-
ed Code of Maryland; and

WHEREAS, the State of Mary-
land and the University of Mary-
land System have recently experi-
enced severe budgetary cutbacks
and may face the need to institute
additional substantial reductions
within the remaining months of
Fiscal Year 1991; and

WHEREAS, a further reduction
at this time of the fiscal year will
require further reductions in per-
sonnel costs; and

WHEREAS, a furlough plan
appears to be the most feasible
option for achieving needed reduc-

Regents'
Statement on
40-Hour Week

"On January 24, 1991 this Board
approved a Resolution which
imposed a 40-Hour Work Week on
all employees. This resolution cor-
responded to an Executive Order
issued by Governor Schaefer. Since
that time the Governor has sus-
pended implementation of the 40
Hour Work Week pending further
study.

[ THEREFORE MOVE THAT
THE BOARD OF REGENTS
RESCIND ITS ORDER AND
DIRECT THE CHANCELLOR TO
STUDY THE ISSUE AND BE PRE-
PARED TO PRESENT COURSES
OF ACTION WHICH COULD
ACHIEVE A FORTY HOUR
WORK WEEK WITHOUT UN-
ACCEPTABLE IMPACT ON THE
PRESENT WORK FORCE."

Roger Blunt
Board of Regents
February 27, 1991

Approved February 27, 1991

tions within the several months
remaining in Fiscal Year 1991,
while allowing continued progress
and advancement of the University
System;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT
RESOLVED THAT, if an additional
reduction in the FY 1991 budget of
the University of Maryland System
is requested by the Governor, the
Chancellor, as Chief of Staff of the
Board and Chief Executive Officer
of the System, is authorized to
institute a furlough plan for all
employees of the University Sys-
tem, including full-time and part-
time faculty, non-faculty employees
and staff, temporary, contractual
and student employees, and shall
inform the Board of the number of
days of furlough required to satisfy
the requested reduction; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED ,
THAT administering such a fur-
lough plan shall be the responsibil-
ity of the Chancellor and of each
chief executive officer of the Sys-
tem and shall be conducted within
the following guidelines:

A. The plan shall be imple-
mented with maximum flexibility
to meet the needs of each employee
and unit and to ensure the continu-
ation of essential services with a
minimum of disruption. A day of
furlough may be arranged, for
example, within the designated pay

Special Issue of
Outlook

This special four-page edition
of Outlook presents some of the
issues involved with possible fur-
loughs and the recent 40-hour
work week question.

On page one the Board of
Regents' resolution concerning
furloughs is presented in its
entirety. The regents' statement on
the forty-hour work week also
appears in its complete version.
Both of these actions were taken
at the regents' meeting on Febru-
ary 27, 1991.

On pages two and three an in-
depth interview with President
William E. Kirwan covers these
and other current significant cam
pus concerns.

Selected campus reactions to these
issues can be found on page four.

period as a whole day, two half
days, or as some other portion of a
day (i.e., one hour per day for a
number of days equivalent to a
whole work day).

B. No reduction of employee
benefits (e.g., retirement, health,
leave) will result from a period o
furlough.

C. Employees may not be
required to be in their work area or
to perform official duties during a
period of furlough.

D. No classes may be cancelled
as a result of implementing the fur-
lough plan.

E. No new hires or promotions
may take effect during the time any
furlough plan is in effect.

F. No annual or other personal
leave may be used on or in lieu of
a period of furlough. Employees on
or scheduled for leave during the
period of furlough will not be
charged leave during the furlough
period.

G. No overtime or compensatory
time may be granted to compensate
for loss of the services of fur-
loughed employees.

AND BE IT FURTHER
RESOLVED THAT the Board of
Regents takes this action with great
reluctance and with the hope that it
will not become necessary to
implement it.
Approved February 27, 1991

Chancellor
Langenberg's
Furlough Remarks

Excerpts from Chancellor Donald
Langenberg's Remarks to the
Board of Regents, February 27,
1991

"....In order to spread the pain as
thinly as possible, I am asking for
your authorization to institute fur-
loughs for ALL System employees
as a principal cost-saving measure,
if needed. We will not implement
a furlough plan unless required
[Emphasis added. Ed.). I would
note that one day of furloughs for
all System personnel would allow
us to return about $1.5 million to
the state.

"I think it is important that the
System be authorized to furlough
or not to furlough based on its
needs. With your approval, I
intend to request the state for this
authorization, regardless of any
furlough policy that the Governor
may deem necessary for other state
employees...."

UNIVERSITY

O F

MARYLAND

A T

COLLEGE

PARK

Taking the Long View: An Interview
with President William E. Kirwan

Last week, Outlook editor Roz
Hiebert talked with President Kir-
wan about current problems and
challenges for the university and
his views on prospects for the fu-
ture.

Q. Can you reflect on the mood of
the campus community right now?

A. I would describe the past
several months as our "winter of
discontent." I'm, of course, refer-
ring to a celebrated novel by John
Steinbeck, the title of which is
derived from Shakespeare, but I
feel as though it describes our situ-
ation as well. In fact, I'm hard-
pressed to recall a time when so
much bad news has befallen this
campus in so short a period of
time.

President William E. Kirwan

But, we've seen some encourag-
ing signs recently. These signs
should help to remind us that win-
ter — even a winter of discontent —
is always followed by a spring.

Q. Is the possibility of furlough
days one of these misfortunes?

A. Until recently, there seemed to
be a distinct possibility of a signifi-
cant third cut to our FY 1991 bud-
get. This would have required the
university system to impose un-
paid furlough days on all univer-
sity employees.

The Board of Regents even pre-
pared the university system for this
possibility by putting in place a
furlough policy. [Presented in this
issue of Outlook.]

However, I am now quite

optimistic that the university will
not be subject to any furlough days
this year. My optimism is based on
the fact that the governor and
members of the state legislature are
talking only in terms of cuts to all
state agencies of no more than $3
million. How much of this the gov-
ernor might actually assign to high-
er education — if any amount at
all — remains unclear. But even if
another cut is necessary this year,
College Park will probably end up
with a figure of between $200,000
and $300,000. We could address
this amount without resorting to
any furlough days. This is good
news and is one of those encourag-
ing signs 1 mentioned a moment
ago.

Q. What are some others?

A. The reversal of the decision on
the 40-hour week, the end of the
war and the potential effect on our
economy, and the fact that, despite
our economic troubles, we continue
to make extraordinary faculty ap-
pointments.

Q. Can you mention any of these
appointments?

A. Gene Roberts, former editor of
the Philadelphia Inquirer and one of
the most acclaimed journalists in
the nation, will join the College of
Journalism this fall, and Bonnie
Thornton Dill, one of the nation's
leading sociologists, will be joining
the Women's Studies Program.

Q, Can you discuss steps the uni-
versity has taken to accommodate
to the substantial cuts we've
already incurred?

A. Yes, hut first I'd like to look at
what we are trying to accomplish
through our planning process.

We've made some very signifi-
cant progress in the past few years
— progress in our efforts to
improve our undergraduate educa-
tion program, to recruit and retain
outstanding students and faculty,
to make College Park a more
vibrant and diverse community.
We must do everything possible to
hold on to the initiatives that have
produced these gains.

This is quite a challenge. We
sustained a cut of over $20.5 mil-
lion in general funds this year. This
cut will carry forward into FY 1992.
In addition, we know that the FY
1992 budget will be cut at least an
additional $5 million. I believe
strongly that we cannot just prorate
these cuts to the various units. We
must reduce — possibly eliminate — -
programs, services and activities in
order to protect our priorities and
our areas of excellence. We must

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lake whatever steps are necessary
to maintain our momentum as an
institution.

For this reason, I asked the four
vice presidents to develop a plan
that would address the assigned
cuts in their respective divisions,
while protecting, to the extent pos-
sible, their areas of higher priority.
Within academic affairs, the
Academic Planning Advisory Com-
mittee (APAC) is the primary
group advising the provost on the
cuts necessary in that division.
APAC, in turn, has been guided by
plans developed by the deans of
each of the colleges in consultation
with faculty committees.

Q. 1 understand these recommen-
dations were to be presented to
you on March 1.

A. That is correct. 1 expect to be
able to review them over this
weekend. Once I have studied the
recommendations, 1 will present
them to the Strategic Planning
Committee (SPC). This group's
charge is to assess the impact of the
cuts from each of the four divi-
sions^ — Academic Affairs, Adminis-
trative Affairs, Student Affairs, and
Institutional Advancement — on the
entire institution. It will not re-
assess priorities within any division
or, for example, redo what APAC
has already done. But it will advise
me as to whether the cuts are too
deep in any one division and, if so,
which divisions would need to take
additional cuts in order to undo
excessive harm.

Q. What's the next step?

A. I will share the SPC's recom-
mendations with the Campus Sen-
ate. If there are proposals requiring
senate action, such as a recommen-
dation to abolish a program, the
senate will follow its established
procedures for consideration of a
possible program elimination. After
the senate's recommendations come
back to me, 1 will forward my
recommendations for program
elimination, if there are any, to the
Board of Regents for its considera-
tion. That would be the final step.

Q. What is the time frame for this
process?

A. I've asked the SPC to present its
recommendations to me by April 2.
In the interim, I will stay in close
communication with the senate ex-
ecutive committee. It is important
that we proceed with appropriate
deliberation, but we must also
move in a timely manner.

Q. What would it mean to stu-
dents and faculty if programs
were eliminated?

A. That is an important question. It
is essential that we keep this matter
in perspective. First, it would not
mean that existing students major-
ing in those programs would be
left without a major. We would
operate as we did when the
General Studies program was elim-

inated — students who are majoring
in a specific program would be al-
lowed to complete their major. The
elimination of the major would be
phased out over time. It's also very
important to note that even with
the worst case economic projec-
tions, we have no intention of
declaring financial exigency. This
means that tenured faculty in these
programs would be assured of
their positions at the university,
and would, after appropriate con-
sultation, move to some related
program or department.

Q, What about other full-time per-
manent employees?

A. They would be reassigned. In
fact, this is one way in which we
would be able to use program
elimination to enhance priority pro-
grams.

Q. What about long-range
planning?

A. Through APAC, we've had for
some time an effective process in
Academic Affairs for establishing
and funding priorities, but no com-
parable process exists at the next
higher organizational level of the
university. I see this as SPC's role.
I've given this committee the
charge to develop a process that
will enable the campus to reallocate
annually one percent of our state-
supported budget — in current dol-
lars this amounts to about $3.5 mil-
lion. I am doing this because I
believe it is important for us to
have a process that enables the
campus to reassess itself continu-
ally and redirect money from areas
of lower priority to those of higher
priority.

Q. Has the Enhancement Plan
been put on hold?

A. The initial state funding for the
plan has been lost through the bud-
get cuts, so in that sense yes.
Nevertheless, it is still a valuable
document for the campus because
it articulates both a vision for the
campus and a set of priorities.

I've been extremely encouraged
by the fact that both the Board of
Regents and the Maryland Higher
Education Commission have con-
tinued to support the plan as the
number one priority for the univer-
sity system. And in Annapolis,
both the Governor and members of
the General Assembly have
restated their support for higher
education and for the Enhancement
Plan. So I believe that the Enhance-
ment Plan will remain the highest
priority for the system and the
state and, when our economy im-
proves, it will be funded in full.

Q. Will things get better as of
Julyl?

A. It will probably be two or three
more weeks before we have a good
sense of what our FY 1992 budget
will be. But, in one sense, 1 am con-
vinced things will improve on July
1. I believe the state's FY 1992 bud-

get will be based on very conserva-
tive estimates. This means that
whatever money we have on July 1
should be available to us for the
full year. As of July 1, it is my in-
tention to remove all of the oner-
ous, temporary restrictions on our
use of funds. We may not like the
bottom line number but, whatever
it is, units will have flexibility
restored in the use of their
resources.

I also believe we will start to see
the economy turn around in FY
1992. This means next year will be
a year, hopefully, when we can
begin to plan for increased funds.

Q. What do you think the mood
of the campus should be right
now?

A. It's inevitable that tensions,
frustrations — even anger — should
exist right now. There have been
too many disappointments, too
many setbacks, too much bad news
coming our way. It would be un-
natural for there not to be a sense
of anxiety. Properly directed, I
believe this anxiety can even be a
healthy thing for the institution.
We are all having to do some
soul searching about what is truly
important for the institution. We
are reassessing our priorities and
developing a stronger sense of dis-
cipline over the use of our resour-
ces. In some ways, I believe we are
developing a greater commitment
to pushing forward with those
things that are most important. It is
essential that we accept and under-
stand this period for what it is — a
lull along our march to distinction.
We must keep our sights set on
what our long-term goals and
aspirations are and what our pro-
spects for the future — despite this
difficult time- — really are.

Q. Have you changed your per-
sonal vision for the future of the
university?

A. Absolutely not. I don't think
there's any reason to be dis-
couraged — disappointed, yes— but
not discouraged. We have to hold
on to the expectation, not just that
we have for College Park, but that
the state has for College Park. This
expectation, this dream, hasn't
gone away. What has happened is
that there has been a momentary
downturn in the economy. The
economy will turn back. I believe
that the commitment to College
Park on the part of the state is real,
is deep and is lasting. If we can
prevent our short-term frustrations
from destroying our spirit and col-
legiality, if we can focus on our
long-term prospects, then I believe
we have every reason to face the
future with a sense of confidence in
the ultimate realization of our
hopes and dreams for College Park.

O O K

CLOSE UP

Josephine Withers

w

Wally Glasscock

Roberta Coates

Burt Leete

Campus Community Reacts to Regents'
Vote to Authorize Furloughs

College Park faculty, staff and
graduate students reacted with
concerns, questions and tentative
support to a Board of Regents'
resolution passed on February 27
that approved a contingency plan
for System-wide furloughs in the
event of deeper cuts in the state
budget for higher education.

Members of the campus com-
munity found the furlough plan a
better alternative to dealing with
the budget crisis than the rescinded
40-hour work week plan. However,
they wondered whether other state
employees would face furloughs as
well and questioned whether a
plan that maintained full service
but at a lower cost is a good
precedent.

"It's regettable if it comes to that
[furloughs]," said Bruce Fretz, pro-
fessor of psychology and chair of
the Campus Senate. "But furloughs
are one of the lesser of the evils
that could be used in solving the
various difficulties that we face."

Two themes have emerged in
Fretz' conversations with fellow
faculty members.

"For faculty members, it's clearly
a pay cut since faculty are not here
for specific hours," he said. "You
will do the same amount of teach-
ing, research and writing on less
pay."

However, a number of faculty
members also are advocating the
idea of higher paid faculty and
staff members volunteering to take
extra furlough days to assist low-
paid staff members and teaching
assistants who are less able to ab-
sorb paycuts, Fretz said.

"The suggestion speaks to a feel-
ing of community at the university.
In the presence of bad times, peo-
ple are saying we should explore
these kinds of options," Fretz said.

"I don't see an alternative to fur-
loughs, but there are some con-
cerns of equity with other state
employees," said Gerald Miller,
professor of chemistry and chair-
elect of the Campus Senate. "If the
university did it and no other state
agency did, that would be a real
morale buster for faculty and staff."

Miller saw the regents' provi-
sion that no classes could be can-
celled as a result of furloughs as
positive news for students.

"I have heard some comments,
however, that there's no impact on
the state, that we'll be offering the
same service in terms of teaching at
a lower cost. I would have voted
for it [the no classes cancelled pro-
vision), but I'm wary of the idea,"
Miller said.

Unanswered questions about the
plan remain, such as whether peo-
ple and programs supported by
outside grants would be affected,
according to Miller.

Josephine Withers, associate
professor of art history and chair of
the President's Commission on
Women's Affairs, echoed Miller's
concern about whether the univer-

sities alone would absorb fur-
loughs.

"It seems fair enough, if we have
a plan that is equitably distributed
throughout the state [workforce],
one that isn't just for the universi-
ties," she said.

Withers, a critic of the 40-hour
work week plan, found the fur-
lough plan more palatable.

"This plan is a whole lot better
than the so-called 40-hour week.
There is less risk of this being
instituted into a permanent
[arrangement)," she said.

Withers said it remains unclear
how faculty furlough time would
be calculated under the plan.

Cindy Hale, director of admin-
istration in the computer science
department and chair of the Staff
Committee of the Campus Senate,
felt the regents dealt with the issue
in a sensitive manner but hoped
the resolution doesn't serve to
encourage furloughs.

"The regents certainly made an
effort to make it as reasonable as
possible, but they have made it eas-
ier for the governor to put them
into place," Hale said.

Hale also felt furloughs
shouldn't be exclusive to the uni-
versity system. "If just campus
people were furloughed, I think
they'd feel singled out," she said.

In general. Hale said staff mem-
bers she's talked with would find
furloughs unwelcome but
manageable.

"They're not horrified by the
idea. They think they could deal
with furloughs if they were distri-
buted over rime," Hale says.

Kathleen Maroney, office secre-
tary III in McKeldin Library,
agreed that furlough-related pay-
cuts should be distributed over
several paychecks.

"While it is tough, I certainly
could live with the furlough if it is
applied equitably across the
board. ..[iff everyone takes the same
penalty and has the same percent-
age loss of income," Maroney says.

Joan McKee, executive aide II in
the Office of the Vice President of
Academic Affairs, wondered how
workers who live "paycheck-to-
paycheck" would handle furloughs.

"The resolution mentions 'flexi-
bility/ and I think that's something
that we should keep in mind when
we try to determine how to deal
with individual circumstances,"
McKee said.

Wally Glasscock, assistant
director of human resources in
physical plant, saw McKee's con-
cern as a particular problem in his
department. More than one fur-
lough day in a single paycheck
would cause serious problems for
some workers, he said.

Roberta Coates, associate
director of campus activities and
president of the Black Faculty and
Staff Association (BFSA), said
members of the latter organization
have mixed views on the plan.

"We want to help as much as
possible, but there are members of
the university community who
have trouble making rent and day-
care payments. I know there are
terrible budget problems for the
state, but we feel we are helping to
bail out the state and having to
bear the brunt of it," said Coates.

On the administrative side of
the campus, Burt Leete, associate
dean of business and management,
said, "I think it's probably better to
have some modest number of fur-
lough days than to have budget
reductions destroy programs or
require people to lose jobs. Having
said this, however, I fully recognize
that if it does become necessary to
furlough employees, the campus'
morale problems will only
increase," Leete said.

Frank Brewer, director of physi-
cal plant, wondered whether the
plan could be fully implemented.

"One of physical plant's primary
concerns is: Can the campus truly
be shut down? The fact is there is
an enormous amount of continuous
ongoing research underway here
and the researchers' expectations
will be 'business as usual', "
Brewer said.

Graduate students are wonder-
ing whether they would be includ-
ed in a furlough program, accord-
ing Wendy Ford, a doctoral stu-
dent in speech communications
and a member of the Campus Sen-
ate.

"It'd be difficult to furlough
graduate students unless classes
were cut," she says, "If they do
[apply to graduate students], many
graduate students can't live with-
out their graduate stipends. The
stipend isn't much as it is."

Brian Busek
Tom OtweU

O