EOU cuts staff, closes pool
for 2004-05

By Dick Mason
The La Grande Observer

Published: May 5, 2004

Oregon's fiscal crisis will take a visible toll at Eastern Oregon University in 2004-05.

EOU will cut the equivalent of about three full-time teaching positions, 2.75 administrative staff positions and close its pool in the process of making $1.5 million in budget cuts for the 2004-05 school year.

The cuts are necessary because of a reduction in funding from the state brought on by a sluggish economy.

On the plus side, EOU will keep all of its majors and minors intact despite its faculty reductions. Some elective classes might be cut, but all required classes for majors and minors will be retained.

"We are not discontinuing any programs,'' said interim EOU President Dixie Lund.

Four part-time professors will be cut, and two professors will have their teaching loads reduced.

Closure of the Quinn Coliseum pool will save $120,000 a year and will take effect at the end of spring term. EOU and the City of La Grande are discussing alternative arrangements that would allow activities now at Quinn's pool to be conducted at Veterans Memorial Pool at Pioneer Park, Lund said.

The faculty reductions EOU is making will impact its programs in the following ways:

• .33 of a position from its gender studies program.
• 1.0 position from the English/writing program.
• .5 of a position from the philosophy program.
• .25 of a position from the modern language program.
• .25 of a position from the engineering and physics program.
• 1.0 position from EOU's teacher education program in Bend.
• .1 of a natural resource specialist position in the school of education.

None of the four professors being trimmed are tenured faculty or faculty who were in tenure track positions. All had one-year contracts that will not be renewed.

Lund said that making the budget reductions has been painful.

"They are not only colleagues but many are also friends," Lund said.

Lund said that the administration has given "incredible attention to (putting) student needs first.

"We tried to make cuts which were least damaging to student plans,'' Lund said.

The reductions made from administrative staff positions will come from the student affairs department and the business finance office. Two positions will be cut from student affairs, which includes admissions, athletics, financial aid and career services. The cut from business finance will be .75 of a position.

Eastern has gradually been making staff reductions because of declining state revenue. Eastern cut $550,000 in 2002-03 and $950,000 in 2003-04.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Contact Information

University Advancement Eastern Oregon University One University Boulevard La Grande, OR 97850 phone 541.962.3740 fax 541.962.3680 email University Advancement