The vice president of the faculty union at the State System of Higher Education told the Board of Governors last week that it should not pursue a 5.5 percent increase in state funding in next year’s state budget, but instead should seek a 15 percent increase. With the possibility of retrenchment emerging as a possibility for Commonwealth University, APSCUF VP Dr. Kara Laskowski said more revenue must be found and a 5.5 percent increase just isn’t enough to meet the System’s needs.
Laskowski appeared to cite a leaked memo from Commonwealth University, which is comprised of Lock Haven, Bloomsburg, and Mansfield universities, that shows the schools are $17 million in debt. The document says the university and the State System believe they will run out of money in April, and that they must either reduce faculty or reduce scholarships. According to the leaked document, Chancellor Christopher Fiorentino is requiring all State System schools to align faculty compensation to match tuition and revenue, but Commonwealth University faculty compensation is 115 percent of tuition and revenue. Last year it was 121 percent.
Laskowski said retrenchment will not save Commonwealth University. She vowed that APSCUF will fight any effort at retrenchment, which she said, “does not, will not, save anything.”
Despite Laskowski’s appeal, the board voted to ask for the 5.5 percent increase.
