Budget Shortfall for the Upcoming Year
Due to COVID-19 and a decline in enrollment over the past two years, Quinnipiac University will experience a budget shortfall for the 2020-21 school year according to Daryl Richard, vice president for marketing and communications.
“Approximately $10 million in new expenses related to COVID-19 and a slightly lower enrollment require us to address a budget shortfall for the 2020-21 academic year,” Richard said in a statement.“Our goal is to minimize the impact on our faculty and staff to the greatest extent possible and to create a healthy learning environment for our entire community as we make these difficult decisions with care and compassion. The actions we take now will position the university to navigate the next year successfully and to thrive and grow in the years ahead.”
According to an email sent out by President Olian to the Quinnipiac faculty and staff on Monday, June 15, “The 2020-21 budget requires us to address an approximately $55 million shortfall.”
This shortfall is due to enrollment declines in the 2019-20 school year and the $10 million in new expenses related to COVID-19.
Faculty and staff can expect a lot of changes this year due to the shortfall. According to the email, 130 employees will be temporarily furloughed and 38 employees will be laid off.
All Quinnipiac employees on furlough will still receive their benefits and according to the email, “QU will increase to 100% its coverage of the employee’s share of health insurance premiums so employees on furlough do not incur any out-of-pocket expenses for health insurance.”
Employees on furlough will also be eligible to apply for state unemployment benefits. Layoffs will go into effect on July 1, and some transition benefits will be provided to laid-off employees.
School of Communications professor, Richard Hanley described the email that was sent to faculty and staff as sad.
“You don’t want to see anyone lose their job at any time,” Hanley said. “And, you don’t want to see anybody furloughed, it’s generally a bad day for families all over the place because of this.”
In addition, Quinnipiac will be restoring all remaining employee’s base salaries to levels effective before the April 1 cut.
As stated in the email, “Members of the Management Committee and Leadership Council have made voluntary decisions to take cuts of 5% to 10% in their full-year salaries to contribute to university budget savings.” President Olian will also continue her 20% salary reduction she took earlier.
The university will also continue its hiring freeze which was announced on May 28. The freeze will continue throughout the 2020-21 school year for all staff and faculty positions and temporary hires.
The university has also paused the 2020-21 academic year study abroad program, Type I and Type II sabbaticals, and all university-sponsored travel.
“Aside from the reality of travel restrictions persisting throughout the year and the financial savings this will produce, it is also a prudent step as we continue to observe appropriate health protocols to limit possible contagion of COVID-19 in the university community,” according to the email.
This school year will look different with all of these changes. Stay with Q30 for the latest information.
