PrintPrintThe school said today it is offering voluntary retirement and separation packages to eligible employees in three divisions. Employees have until Aug. 27 to decide whether they will participate.
Staff Report
Published July 12, 2010
Clemson University said today it is offering voluntary retirement and voluntary separation packages to eligible employees in its Public Service Activities division; the College of Agriculture, Forestry and Life Sciences; and the College of Health, Education and Human Development.
Employees have until Aug. 27 to participate.
“Response to these programs will determine the extent to which nonvoluntary measures, such as a reduction-in-force, will be necessary,” said John Kelly, vice president for the Public Service Activities division.
State funding for Public Service Activities programs was cut by $6.6 million on July 1, an 18% reduction that has been partially offset with $2.6 million in one-time federal stimulus funds, the university said. Since June 2008, the division’s state appropriation has been cut by $24 million, a 46% reduction that brings state funding to 1985 levels, not adjusted for inflation.
“This difficult budget challenge is occurring at many land-grant universities around the country as all states deal with the impact of a global recession, and PSA is being treated no differently than other natural resources agencies in South Carolina,” Kelly said. “Unfortunately, with the magnitude of this current budget cut — and additional cuts expected next fiscal year — there is no way to balance the budget without taking painful steps to reduce the number of employees funded by PSA.”
Details on the voluntary separation and retirement plans are posted online.
Per the separation agreement, Clemson will pay one year’s salary, health and dental benefits for up to one year and the balance of unused annual and compensatory leave.
For those choosing retirement, the university will purchase up to five years of qualified service credit or two years of nonqualified credit. Or, the university will provide to the state retirement system the cost to convert up to five years of state service earned.
The incentive programs are part of a strategic plan to cut costs, increase non-state revenues and shift all remaining state dollars in the Public Service Activities division to core agriculture and natural resources research, and to extension and regulatory programs. The plan was developed after receiving input from key constituents, including faculty and staff members of the College of Agriculture, Forestry and Life Sciences; the Extension Visioning Task Force; the Extension Senate and State Advisory Council; and the S.C. Farm Bureau and agricultural commodity groups, the university said.
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