‘An unsettling time’: WWU president says more layoffs planned amid $18M budget deficit
Western Washington University President Sabah Randhawa shared a public update Monday on the state of the university’s $18 million budget deficit and its impact on the campus community.
The university first announced in October that it would cut more than 50 paid positions as part of a “strategic organization” and cost reduction plan.
“I will first get to the bottom line: To date, we have either instituted or identified recurring cost reductions of a little over $13 million,” Randhawa said in a message to the community.
That reduction in funding comes from the consolidation and reorganization of university departments, reduction of goods and services in non-academic units, reduction of redundant software, and an early retirement program for faculty that is still pending state approval.
To reduce costs an additional $5 million, 74 permanent staff positions will be eliminated, Randhawa said, as payroll makes up most of the University’s operating expenses.
Thirty-eight of those 74 positions are filled while 36 are currently vacant.
Randhawa said although the university attempted to be strategic in this decision, with an initial focus on reducing vacant positions, he understood the impact to staff and the community.
“These decisions are not being made lightly,” Randhawa said. “Nevertheless, I fully recognize the impact on employees affected by reductions — either directly or through the bumping process necessitated by labor contracts, and I am saddened that they are losing employment with Western and the disruption this will cause in their lives. I also want to acknowledge the impact on employee morale from losing colleagues and due to the continued uncertainty in the budget environment.”
Randhawa said Western’s financial position will continue to evolve and the future of the university’s budget will be unclear until the state legislature determines how much funding will be allocated over the next two years.
“We appreciate the joint advocacy work with our faculty, staff, and students for funding for WWU’s base operating budget and will continue to do so during the balance of the legislative session,” Randhawa said.
More than 100 Western students and staff gathered on campus in late February to protest proposed state funding cuts for higher education. Many expressed concern that if the legislature did not fully fund Western’s budget needs, some of the most vulnerable and lowest-paid employees could be heavily impacted.
“Fully funding WWU would allow all of its workers to be paid a living wage without being threatened with layoffs and austerity measures,” said WWU student employee Mattie Horne at the protest. “Unfortunately, funding for higher education is on the chopping block in Washington State and beyond. These proposed budget cuts are a threat to all of us.”
Randhawa said he knows that this is “an unsettling time” as many are “feeling the weight of these changes” related to budget impacts and federal directives.
“Starting the week with this message is not what I want to do, but there is never a good time or an easy way to deliver news on budget and position reductions,” Randhawa said.
