The following appeared as a guest Guest Column for Daily Record (Ellensburg)

I must say I was surprised and disappointed by the recent action of CWU’s Board of Trustees (BOT), announced Friday at a satellite campus over 100 miles away from the CWU main campus, and reported by the Daily Record last Saturday. I had the pleasure of attending the BOT retreat this summer, where most members of the BOT struck me as thoughtful, insightful people who cared about the future of CWU. I appreciate their intention to preserve continuity of leadership at a critical time for CWU.  Most people on campus (students, faculty, and staff) agree that administrative musical chairs is very expensive in terms of funds and energy. Those who see it as necessary recognize doing it now wouldn’t be in the financial best interest of CWU.  All evidence suggests CWU will again be asked to cut its budget, likely in the neighborhood of 10%. Is providing a $500,000 “retention incentive” to CWU’s President really the message the BOT wants to send to the legislature right now?

An article in last week’s Observer (CWU’s student newspaper) highlighted salary inflation and questionable appointments for several administrators and department chairs in the College of Education and Professional Studies. Add this information to the 14% increase in tuition students paid this year -and will again next year- then top it off with increased fees and ballooning textbook costs. Our traditional students are from middle-and lower-income families. Non-traditional students often rely on programs like the Early Childhood Learning Center, which provides affordable and reliable child care.  Future cuts and administrative “taxing” of certain budget lines will likely end programs like this, and without them, CWU loses these students. At best, the BOT decision makes them seem disconnected from campus realities. Certainly the timing was such that the announcement seemed callous and poorly planned. If I were a CWU student, I’d feel a bit betrayed.

The Science Honors Research Program and the Science Talent Expansion Program were established with federal grants acquired by faculty, with the express condition that CWU continue to support and grow the programs after the grant period ended. CWU support for these programs has dwindled, even after the Higher Education Funding Task Force’s directive to increase the number of science degrees by 40% by 2018.  If those programs received 10 % of what was offered to President Gaudino, the students served could double, perhaps triple. The next time the BOT shakes its piggy bank and a half million dollars falls out, it should consider bolstering academically successful student programs rather than a single bank account.

A common statement by President Gaudino in his communications to campus is “you need to do more with less”. CWU staff endured salary cuts and furloughs in recent history. While many have had their previous work conditions restored, this doesn’t buy back vehicles or homes lost to foreclosure, or send their children back to college. Most non-tenure track faculty aren’t paid well, and most tenured faculty are experiencing salaries well below their discipline national average.  The only reason faculty weren’t saddled with the salary cuts that staff recently endured is a strong union and collective bargaining agreement. However, loss of department staff meant increased workload for many faculty, and loss of resources resulted in loss of our ability to fund and maintain student research.  In spite of these hardships, faculty and staff remain committed to CWU as an institution, and remain committed to serving the needs of our students.

Most strong leaders lead by example.   If again tasked to “do more with less” by President Gaudino, the collective response from students, staff and faculty will likely be “we have – now it is your turn”. 

by Holly Pinkart ,Professor of Biological Sciences and Vice President of United Faculty of Central, and endorsed by the United Faculty of Central and the Public School Employees of Washington