February 10 Issue of The Merciad

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The MERCIAD

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Mercyhurst university

Est. 1929 Vol. 89 No. 12

Wednesday, February 10, 2016

Faculty on chopping block University reduces number of faculty to help cut costs By Catherine Rainey News editor

Mercyhurst will undergo more restructuring as it plans to “right-size” its faculty and keep up with market trends, university officials announced. The university will take a “multi-faceted approach” to reducing the number of faculty, according to David Dausey, Ph.D., provost and vice president for academic affairs. “What’s happened organically, probably over the last five years, has been that the faculty growth has outpaced student growth,” said Dausey. “Our student numbers have dropped by nine percent. Our faculty grew by 20 percent.” To begin adjusting this imbalance, the university will offer incentivized voluntary retirement to older faculty, he said. “We feel it’s consistent with our Mercy Mission. We feel it’s a fair and honorable way to offer somebody recognition for their service to the organization,” Dausey said. Another part of this strategy is not renewing yearto-year contracts for some non-tenured faculty members. Cutting majors or programs remains a possibility, he said. The reductions in faculty would take place in the 201617 academic year. “Our primary focus is to be responsible stewards of our money,” Dausey said. Dausey met with several Merciad editors on Friday. The administration called a faculty forum on Thurs-

day, Feb. 4, the second day of spring term. “While we can understand the necessity to do this, it nevertheless is a gut-wrenching thing to have to face the reality,” said Joanne Hosey-McGurk, Ph.D., president of the Faculty Senate. “We know that students and faculty have close relationships so people are going to be very seriously affected by this. We were certainly shocked by the necessity for this.”

While we can understand the necessity to do this, it nevertheless is a gut-wrenching thing to have to face the reality.

Mercyhurst University photo

Mercyhurst is offering incentivized retirement to senior faculty members. Fewer faculty will be attending commencements in 2017.

- Joanne Hosey-McGurk

Administrators discovered the need to make these changes very recently, according to Hosey-McGurk. She said she was notified of the situation in early January. “We had suspected, many of us, that things were not going in the right direction with the previous administration but we didn’t realize how serious the situation had become,” she said. The entire faculty and staff have had a freeze on salary for three of the last four years, and there is currently a hiring freeze in place. Dausey said the university will be creative with the resources it has now until it is in a position to hire responsibly. “It’s hard to know (how many faculty will be cut) until we present people with offers

Margaret Urso photo

The university’s administration will make decisions about faculty changes by the end of this semester.

and they decide whether or not they want to accept them,” he said. Dausey said he hopes senior faculty who choose to accept the retirement incentives stay in close contact and come back to the university and serve in a professor emeritus

status. All decisions will be made by the end of spring term, Dausey said. Some students are concerned about their professors and departments. Sophomore Competitive Business Intelligence major Rebecca Harms

said she is concerned about which professors are still going to be here next year. “Although there are still some really great older faculty, some of the younger professors I’ve had have been some of my favorites,” Harms said. Sophomore Mary Jaskowak

mean they can’t take something from it. If you find yourself in a situation where you need help and to have the strength to seek out that support, you do and you stick with it,” Erwin said. Doors open for the event at 6:45 p.m. The event is open to all students. “The earlier you get there, the closer you will get to the stage. I really suggest students get there early,” Erwin said. There will be an open meet and greet with Sweetin. “She seems very open and in touch with the crowd. I’m

very curious and excited to meet her myself,” Erwin said. After the event, SAC will host Sweets after Sweetin featuring Romolo’s chocolate in the Student Union. “We wanted to make sure we still accounted for the Annual Chocolate Night because that’s an event students really love,” Erwin said. The new series “Fuller House”, starring Sweetin and many others from the original “Full House,” will premier on Netflix Friday, Feb. 26. She will reprise her role of Stephanie Tanner.

comes from a small department, Mathematics. “I understand why they might need to make cuts but just because a department is small shouldn’t make it a target,” said Jaskowak. “To let go of exceptional teachers because we can’t afford to employ them is not fair to students who won’t get to benefit from them like I have.” Cutting majors or academic programs will be a last resort, Dausey said. “There are often times for the reinvention of things, you know the digital humanities, media studies in general,” said Dausey. “We may take those actions to re-brand or to shift resources in such ways that it is represented of what we feel is the new thing.” According to Hosey-McGurk, making these changes is a crucial part of keeping up with the changing financial climate and market trends of higher education. “I think these changes, while they’re going to be hard, if we don’t do it then there won’t be a Mercyhurst to make changes in of any kind,” Hosey-McGurk said. Dausey said the administration take the caretaking of the institution very seriously. “It doesn’t happen by accident. The Sisters (of Mercy), through blood, sweat and tears, kept this place humming and it’s our job to do the same thing and that sometimes involves making hard decisions,” said Dausey. “Those hard decisions, as challenging as they be, are ones that are for the betterment of the institution.”

‘Full House’ star Jodie Sweetin to speak in PAC “Full House” and “Fuller House” star Jodie Sweetin will speak at Mercyhurst about combating challenges life presents and her own personal struggle with alcohol and substance abuse following the popular sitcom. Her speech, taking place Friday, Feb. 12, at 7 p.m. in the Performing Arts Center, is titled “A Young Star’s Road to Recovery.” “She’ll really be touching

on how we can just really take on life,” Garret Erwin, Mercyhurst Student Government events coordinator said. After “Full House,” Sweetin struggled with addiction but after rehabilitative therapy she was able to overcome it. “She went from being a young star and now she’s a mother and back at it. She really has come full circle,” Erwin said. Sweetin has taken on life’s challenges and continues to follow new opportunities. “I’m really hoping students can gain something from it.

Merciad Index

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By Melanie Todd Staff writer

News Features A&E Opinion Sports Laker Living

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Contributed photo

Sweetin will reprise her role as Stephanie Tanner in “Fuller House” on Netflix.

Just because she’s speaking about her addiction, doesn’t

“We are really hoping she touches on ‘Fuller House’ a little bit,” Erwin said. There is no word on whether Sweetin will be talking at all about the new series. “‘Full House’ is obviously our generation’s program. I think students will really enjoy her speaking. We are really honored to have her,” Erwin said.

Online Poll Results

How do you enjoy the snow?

I don’t. (33%) Drinking hot chocolate by the radiator. (27%) I shovel it...to get my car out. (21%) Building snowmen and sledding. (19%)

Be sure to vote in this week’s online poll: 1

2

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Do you plan to watch “Fuller House” on Netflix?

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