Inside Iowa State: Iowa State University

September 12, 2003

Budget cuts affect 17.25 FTEs

by Linda Charles
Recent funding reductions have affected slightly more than 17 state-funded positions. This includes positions that have been shifted to non-state-funded sources and people who have been laid off.

As of Sept. 1, 17.25 full-time positions were affected by the reduction in state support, said assistant provost Ellen Rasmussen. The reductions were spread among Professional and Scientific (8.25) and merit (9.0) staff positions.

The positions affected were in the College of Agriculture and Agriculture Experiment Station, she added.

Three P&S staff received layoff notices. Ten staff members (five P&S and five merit) were assigned to different positions and the equivalent of 1.5 merit positions were moved to other funding sources. One P&S position went from full time to three-quarters time and one merit position went from full time to half time.

Two merit staff retired, she said.

The university has retained the services of Workplace Design, Ankeny, to help P&S employees who were laid off as a result of budget woes find new positions. P&S staff who have been on continuous appointments (not temporary or term appointments) qualify for the outplacement service, which is provided until the employee finds another job.

University funding reductions this fiscal year included a $7 million state appropriation reduction, coupled with no state money for the $9.8 million needed for salary increases and additional benefit costs. Iowa State also had to cover about $10.4 million in unavoidable increases this year.