Benefits to be cut for faculty, staff

LAUREN REILLY NEWS EDITOR

LMR722@CABRINI EDU

Reduction in benefits for Cabrini faculty and staff, effective March 1, 2005, will leave many employees $2,748.72 poorer.

During a meeting last November, Lisa Shimada, the director of Human Resources, presented the proposed change in benefits-a change that will affect a considerable portion of the college's faculty and staff.

In a letter addressed to President Iadarola from the Faculty Senate on Feb. 11, 2005, Dr. Rocco Paolucci, an associate professor of IST, and Dr. Brian Metz, an assistant professor of business administration, state that although the changes had been discussed in the November meeting, employees did not receive official documentation or reasoning regarding the cutbacks.

However, a release dated Nov. 14, 2001, does reveal the college's intentions to reduce the benefit plans. Iadarola stated that “The Executive Committee re-examined current allocation of funds and identical areas that exceed the parameters of the College's budget. It found the College's allocation of funds to employee benefits surpassed amounts that would contribute to the future financial health of the institution.”

Effective March 1,2005 Cabrini will be cutting faculty and staff salaries and benefits.

According to a professor, who requested to remain nameless, these numbers have never been released to the faculty. “You'd be more likely to get a forthcoming answer from President Bush about the real costs of the Iraq war than you would from President Iadarola about the financial issues that necessitate cutting our benefits at the expense of every single employee and their families,” the professor said.

Changes in benefits began in March 2002 with all new employees receiving the benefits plan in question, while “grandfathered” employees, or those hired before March 2002, remained under the flex benefit plan. Therefore, the benefits for the “grandfathered” employees will be amended to that of any employee hired after March

2002.

The new benefits plan will allow each full-time, eligible employee $1,460 in coverage annually, potentially costing faculty member anywhere from $2,748.72 for a single employee without children to $11,132.64 for full family coverage. These figures are in reference to employees who chose the Personal Choice 5 insurance

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