In an effort to solve the budget crisis, the University is implementing four furlough days – defined as an unpaid leave of absence – for faculty members.
Faculty members have mixed reactions about the decision.
Peter Abbamonte, associate professor of physics, said the furloughs will not solve the problem. The plan for faculty, which was introduced by Interim President Stanley Ikenberry, will save $17 million. The University is owed more than $400 million from the state.
“In principle I support it,” Abbamonte said. “The alternative is firing people, and our job as faculty members is to make sure that nobody gets fired.”
He added that faculty should particularly make sure that those on campus who do not make much money are not fired.
Get The Daily Illini in your inbox!
Howard Berenbaum, professor of psychology, finds the University’s use of the term “furloughs” misleading.
“Furlough means ‘absence from work’ and has nothing to do with pay,” he said. “We need to separate payment from presence at work.”
In other workplaces, furloughs are often used for hourly employees, but professors do not fit into that category, Berenbaum said.
“It seems to me that the University has no interest in furloughs,” Berenbaum said. “They have an interest in not paying employees.”
Abbamonte said the furlough days cannot be days on which the employee is teaching a class.
“We received an e-mail from the administration that said the show must go on,” Abbamonte said. “Although we receive money from the state, the students still pay tuition, so we still have to be ready for class.”
Berenbaum said there is no way furloughs can be implemented without affecting education.
“Monday through Friday I am either holding office hours or teaching classes, so there is no time to take a furlough day,” Berenbaum said. “Teachers will work on their furlough days anyway, so what’s really happening is a pay cut.”
Mark Aber, associate professor of psychology, said that furloughs are a way for the University to meet its responsibilities.
“I think it will have the desired effect in lessening the gap,” Aber said about the University finding ways to confront its fiscal shortcomings.
Abbamonte said other ways to reduce the budget shortfall would be to close programs or cancel summer courses.
“In the physics department, we’re already pretty lean right now,” he added.
