Spring Break
Changing times affect university
Alexia Lang
Issue date: 12/1/08 Section: News
In response to the current state of the economy, University of Missouri President Gary Forsee announced a system-wide hiring freeze Nov. 17.
This announcement comes a little more than a month after Forsee sent a notice to students, staff, faculty and the community Oct. 9 ensuring the university is well-positioned to weather the financial market and would be prudent with assets.
Openings for what have been deemed as vital positions, such as chancellor and part-time lecturers for the spring semester, will continue to be filled, according to university officials.
"The Interim Chancellor [Leo Morton] recognizes that these part-time hires are necessary in order for us to complete our teaching mission," Karen Vorst, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, said responding to questions asked about the freeze during an A&S Town Hall meeting. "In addition, positions that are 100 percent grant-funded may be filled."
UMKC officials held an emergency budget meeting to put together a plan for managing the hiring freeze which was submitted to Columbia on Monday.
The final plan is expected to be released once it is approved by the entire UM system.
The freeze is not expected to be lifted until the economy shows signs of improvement.
Another issue that has caused some discussion on campus was an announcement made by Chancellor Leo Morton Nov. 6 that the campus will remain open from Dec. 26 through Dec. 31 despite historically being closed during the period.
The Chancellor and his executive team made the decision to accomplish consistency on the UMKC campus and with other UM system universities, according to the memo sent to faculty and staff.
The plan has raised concerns about security on a campus that will be mostly vacant, the additional costs to keep the campus open and the need for employees to rearrange plans that were made based upon the assumption the university would be closed.
Vorst announced to the Arts and Sciences department that they would be closing most of their buildings and other schools are following suite.
This announcement comes a little more than a month after Forsee sent a notice to students, staff, faculty and the community Oct. 9 ensuring the university is well-positioned to weather the financial market and would be prudent with assets.
Openings for what have been deemed as vital positions, such as chancellor and part-time lecturers for the spring semester, will continue to be filled, according to university officials.
"The Interim Chancellor [Leo Morton] recognizes that these part-time hires are necessary in order for us to complete our teaching mission," Karen Vorst, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, said responding to questions asked about the freeze during an A&S Town Hall meeting. "In addition, positions that are 100 percent grant-funded may be filled."
UMKC officials held an emergency budget meeting to put together a plan for managing the hiring freeze which was submitted to Columbia on Monday.
The final plan is expected to be released once it is approved by the entire UM system.
The freeze is not expected to be lifted until the economy shows signs of improvement.
Another issue that has caused some discussion on campus was an announcement made by Chancellor Leo Morton Nov. 6 that the campus will remain open from Dec. 26 through Dec. 31 despite historically being closed during the period.
The Chancellor and his executive team made the decision to accomplish consistency on the UMKC campus and with other UM system universities, according to the memo sent to faculty and staff.
The plan has raised concerns about security on a campus that will be mostly vacant, the additional costs to keep the campus open and the need for employees to rearrange plans that were made based upon the assumption the university would be closed.
Vorst announced to the Arts and Sciences department that they would be closing most of their buildings and other schools are following suite.
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