Senior leadership at STLCC agree to a furlough in response to pending budget cuts
Senior leaders will begin furlough in July and continue through December 2020.
In an email sent to STLCC employees and students, Dr. Jeff L. Pittman, chancellor, explained the factors leading to the decision.
“I have been working closely with the College’s Senior Leadership to develop a thoughtful and impactful first step to address pending cuts. To that end, I, as chancellor, and Senior Leadership, will begin a furlough process in July. Each of us will take one furlough day every month through December 2020. The cost savings from this process will be directed toward the continued innovation in serving our students. I appreciate this team's willingness to commit to the furlough, and their support during this challenging transition,” reads an excerpt from the email.
Senior Leadership Includes:
- Andrew Langrehr, Ph.D., vice chancellor, academic affairs
- Paul Zinck, vice chancellor, finance and administration
- Christine Davis, Ed.D., vice chancellor, student affairs
- Keith Hacke, chief information officer
- Julie Fickas, Ed.D., campus president and chief academic officer, STLCC-Forest Park
- Elizabeth Gassel Perkins, Ed.D., campus president and chief academic officer, STLCC-Florissant Valley
- Feleccia Moore-Davis, Ph.D., campus president and chief academic officer, STLCC-Meramec
- Carol Lupardus, Ph.D., campus president and chief academic officer, STLCC-Wildwood
- Jo-Ann Digman, executive director, STLCC Foundation
- Ryan McKenna, government and community relations liaison
- Hart Nelson, associate vice chancellor, workforce solutions
- Robin Phillips, associate vice chancellor, human resources
- Kedra Tolson, executive director, marketing and communications
- Dennis White, director, strategic planning initiatives and continuous quality improvement
The decision by senior leadership regarding an initial furlough is one of several strategies the College has put in place to address budget challenges, such as:
- Freezing a high number of vacant positions
- Reducing travel and professional development
- Reducing operational costs
“While these decisions were not easy, they are necessary as we are doing what we can to keep the College and its employees whole for as long as we can during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Pittman.
Earlier in the spring, STLCC established an internal COVID-19 Budget Response team to develop equitable solutions to address budget challenges. The senior leadership furlough will be reviewed after December 2020 to determine whether to continue.