{"id":2344215,"date":"2024-09-21T08:41:58","date_gmt":"2024-09-21T12:41:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wittenberg-u-cuts-majors-employees-to-balance-budget-washington-examiner\/"},"modified":"2024-09-21T08:45:36","modified_gmt":"2024-09-21T12:45:36","slug":"wittenberg-u-cuts-majors-employees-to-balance-budget-washington-examiner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wittenberg-u-cuts-majors-employees-to-balance-budget-washington-examiner\/","title":{"rendered":"Wittenberg U cuts majors, employees to balance budget &#8211; Washington Examiner"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">22<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fwittenberg-u-cuts-majors-employees-to-balance-budget-washington-examiner%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2344215&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Wittenberg \u200bUniversity in Springfield, Ohio,\u200d is making significant\u200d cuts to its academic programs and staff in\u2062 response \u2064to a\u2063 budget deficit. The university will eliminate five majors\u2014East Asian studies, German, music, music education, and Spanish\u2014along with a minor in Chinese by the end of the \u20642024-25 academic year. This measure contributes\u2062 to the loss of approximately 60 positions, affecting both \u2064faculty and \u200cstaff, as the institution\u200c seeks to address a $13.7 million operating deficit for the fiscal year ending June 2023, which is\u2063 more than \u200bdouble \u200cthe\u2062 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/bob-livingston-the-need-for-regular-order\/\" title=\"Bob Livingston: The Need For Regular Order\">previous year&#8217;<\/a>s loss. Wittenberg&#8217;s total \u200ddebt amounts to $38.2 million,\u2063 largely due to bonds issued in\u200b 2016, and a decline in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/four-problems-with-bidens-new-student-debt-relief-plan\/\" title=\"Biden&#039;s student debt relief plan: Four issues.\">tuition revenue<\/a> has exacerbated its \u2062financial \u200bchallenges.<\/p>\n<p>In a letter to \u200bstudents and staff, \u2064Wittenberg&#8217;s administration stated that some current employees would be \u2063reassigned to open positions, reducing the number of\u200d job losses \u2063to about 40. The\u200b university is also reevaluating its international business and\u2064 international studies programs, which are currently \u2063not accepting new declarations. President Michael Frandsen assured \u200dthat\u2062 students \u200daffected by\u200c the eliminated majors would have options to complete their degrees,\u200d potentially through partnerships with other institutions.<\/p>\n<p>These budget cuts \u200dcoincide with a\u200c recent shift to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/report-campus-anti-semitism-skyrockets-even-as-coronavirus-forces-remote-learning\/\" title=\"Report: Campus Anti-Semitism Skyrockets Even as Coronavirus Forces Remote Learning\">remote learning due<\/a> to violent threats against the university. Faculty members, like Lori Askeland, expressed\u2062 concerns about the implications\u200d of\u200d losing world language programs, highlighting the need for expertise in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/congress-launches-investigation-into-iconic-us-military-aircraft-program-after-latest-deadly-crash\/\" title=\"Congress investigates iconic US military aircraft program after recent deadly crash\">cross-cultural communication<\/a> in light of current \u200cevents in\u200c the community.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Wittenberg U cuts majors, employees to balance budget<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_1765936\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>(The Center Square) &ndash; Springfield, Ohio&rsquo;s Wittenberg University is cutting five majors and over 60 positions in order to balance its budget.<\/p>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>East Asian studies, German, music, music education, and Spanish are all &ldquo;slated for elimination at the end of the 2024-25 academic year,&rdquo; as well as a minor in Chinese, Wittenberg&nbsp;<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wittenberg.edu\/academics\/majors-minors\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">stated<\/a><\/strong>, while around 40 Wittenberg members will lose their jobs all in an effort to balance the university&rsquo;s budget.<\/p>\n<p>Wittenberg&rsquo;s cuts were announced in a letter to students and staff in addition to the announcement that 24 faculty positions, 45 staff positions, the men&rsquo;s and women&rsquo;s tennis teams and the women&rsquo;s bowling team would be eliminated, according to Springfield News-Sun.<\/p>\n<p>Additionally, international business and international studies &ldquo;are not currently allowing declarations,&rdquo; as Wittenberg is &ldquo;re-evaluating&rdquo; both programs.<\/p>\n<p>Because &ldquo;some current employees will be assigned to open positions, and some open positions will not be filled,&rdquo; around 40 Wittenberg members will lose their jobs rather than over 60, Springfield News-Sun reported.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Wittenberg posted a $13.7 million total operating deficit for the fiscal year ending June 2023,&rdquo; which is over double the previous year&rsquo;s loss, Higher Ed Dive reported.<\/p>\n<p>Additionally, the school &ldquo;carries $38.2 million in debt stemming from bonds issued in 2016&rdquo; and has seen tuition revenue drop while total operating expenses increased, according to HED. Thus, the school deemed its cuts to be &ldquo;necessary to eliminate Wittenberg&rsquo;s estimated operating losses by fiscal 2027.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Wittenberg President Michael Frandsen said the university will provide a way for those whose declared majors will be terminated to finish, such as through a &ldquo;partner institution,&rdquo; according to Springfield News-Sun. This provision is expected to be finalized before Fall Break, Frandsen said.<\/p>\n<p>Located in Springfield, Ohio, Wittenberg&nbsp;<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wittenberg.edu\/alert\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">announced<\/a><\/strong>&nbsp;it would be going remote from Sept. 16 to 22 on account of several <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/video-of-kamala-harris-on-ellen-show-resurfaces-showing-then-senator-joke-about-killing-president-trump\/\" title=\"Video of Kamala Harris on Ellen Show resurfaces showing then-senator joke about killing President Trump\">violent threats made<\/a> to the university.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Given&nbsp;<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thecentersquare.com\/ohio\/article_08ea3bd4-7514-11ef-9bad-7f11aef7a456.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">what is happening in Springfield<\/a><\/strong>&nbsp;right now, the loss of world languages and other faculty with expertise in cross-cultural communication feels particularly short-sighted,&rdquo; professor Lori Askeland of Wittenberg told The Center Square.<\/p>\n<p>Ohio State Troopers began providing security at Springfield schools this week after a week of false allegations leveled against Haiti refugees who arrive in the city and nearly 40 bomb threats, The Center Square&nbsp;<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thecentersquare.com\/ohio\/article_08ea3bd4-7514-11ef-9bad-7f11aef7a456.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">reported<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>Askeland is an English professor at Wittenberg, as well as the president of the school&rsquo;s American Association of University Professors (AAUP) advocacy chapter.<\/p>\n<p>Askeland told The Center Square that &ldquo;the standards by which individual line cuts were made in particular does not match the standards that the administration indicated they would use when we met in late August.&rdquo; However, it is unclear what standards were used versus what standards were indicated, because Askeland did not respond to two follow-up emails.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Students are upset about many things right now, and before we went into lock down were protesting,&rdquo; Askeland said.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;As the president of our AAUP-AFT advocacy chapter, I am sad to say that the decision making process for these cuts has been top-down and quite opaque,&rdquo; Askeland told The Center Square.<\/p>\n<p>The Center Square reached out twice each by email to Wittenberg&rsquo;s president&rsquo;s office, media relations, and president&rsquo;s office executive assistant Cindy Beacom asking how the school decided which cuts to make and what other measures it was taking to balance its budget. None responded.<\/p>\n<p>The Center Square also reached out to director of the East Asian Studies Program Dr. Nona Moskowitz and music department chair professor David Schubert, asking how they were informed their department was cut and why it was cut. Neither responded.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script>!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(\"has-featured-video\",\"true\")})}();<\/script><script>var _bp=_bp||[];_bp.push({\"div\":\"Brid_1765936\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"1765936\"}});<\/script><script defer src=\"https:\/\/services.brid.tv\/player\/build\/brid.min.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Wittenberg University in Springfield, Ohio, is making significant budget cuts by eliminating five academic majors and over 60 staff positions. The affected programs include East Asian studies, German, music, music education, and Spanish, which are set to be discontinued after the 2024-25 academic year. Additionally, a minor in Chinese will also be removed. Approximately 40 employees will lose their jobs as part of these measures aimed at addressing the university&#8217;s financial challenges. <\/p>\n<p>The announcement was made in a letter to students and staff that detailed the elimination of 24 faculty roles and 45 staff positions along with discontinuing the men&#8217;s and women&#8217;s tennis teams and the women&#8217;s bowling team. Furthermore, Wittenberg has paused new declarations for international business and international studies while it reassesses those programs.<\/p>\n<p>The university reported a total operating deficit of $13.7 million for the fiscal year ending June 2023\u2014more than double that of the previous year\u2014and carries $38.2 million in debt from bonds issued in 2016. With declining tuition revenue alongside rising operational costs, Wittenberg deemed these cuts essential to eliminate projected operating losses by fiscal year 2027.<\/p>\n<p>Wittenberg President Michael Frandsen assured that students whose majors are being cut would have options to complete their degrees through partnerships with other institutions before Fall Break.<\/p>\n<p>In light of recent violent threats against the campus leading to remote learning from September 16-22, concerns have been raised about cutting world languages amid ongoing tensions within Springfield related to false allegations against Haitian refugees and numerous bomb threats.<\/p>\n<p>Professor Lori Askeland expressed disappointment over how decisions regarding program cuts were made without transparency or alignment with previously communicated standards by administration officials during meetings held in late August.<\/p>\n<p>Despite attempts by The Center Square to obtain further information on how these decisions were reached from various university representatives\u2014including Wittenberg\u2019s president\u2019s office\u2014no responses were received regarding inquiries about decision-making processes or alternative budget-balancing strategies<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2344216,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/empty-classroom-photo-1024x683.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[38037,41402,41403,32189,41401],"class_list":["post-2344215","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-budget-cuts","tag-college-majors","tag-employment-reductions","tag-higher-education","tag-wittenberg-university"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/empty-classroom-photo-1024x683.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2344215","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2344215"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2344215\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2344216"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2344215"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2344215"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2344215"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}