All applicants who responded to St. Joe’s offer for a buyout or “Voluntary Separation Program” (VSP) were notified of the status of their application on Feb. 7.
Sixteen of 18 faculty members and 64 of 67 staff members who applied were approved, according to the Feb. 7 notification from the Office of Human Resources.
The offer was first announced at the end of December 2019 to all tenured or tenure-track faculty and staff employed by the university who met eligibility requirements.
The approved VSP applicants have up to 45 days to review, sign and accept the agreement. Staff who accept the buyout will work their last day March 31, while faculty will complete the 2020 spring semester.
Cheryl McConnell, Ph.D., provost and vice president for Academic Affairs, responded to questions from The Hawk in an email, writing that the VSP is a component of the university’s “proactive strategy to stay ahead of the curve in higher education.”
“We desire to invest in new programs and initiatives for both current and future students,” McConnell said. “The reality is that in order to advance these goals we need financial flexibility. So, the VSP bridges our financial needs while providing employees who may be considering a career change or retirement a generous opportunity to pursue their personal and professional goals.”
The VSP was an offer to faculty who have been employed for “15 consecutive academic years of tenure track service” and to staff who have been employed for “10 consecutive academic years of service.”
In a document explaining the details of the VSP, all faculty who accept the VSP will receive a “lump sum payment equal to 2 years of salary and 2 years of employer contribution towards medical benefits” and “continued tuition benefits for employees and dependents currently enrolled in SJU educational programs up to three years post employment.”
The offer to staff includes a “lump sum payment equal to 1 year of salary and 1 year of employer contribution towards medical benefits” and “continued tuition benefits for employees and dependents currently enrolled in SJU educational programs up to three years post employment.”
All VSP recipients will also receive career counseling. McConnell also said in the weeks to come, the university will be discussing the impact of the VSP and areas that will require support during the transition.
“Students are our first priority and continuity of service was given great consideration during our planning,” McConnell said.
The Hawk’s requests for comments from Zenobia Hargust, chief human resources officer, and David Beaupré, vice president for Finance and Administration and treasurer, were directed to the Office of Marketing and Communications.
“The program will enable us to reallocate and reinvest in areas of growth and opportunity,” Gail Benner, director of PR and media, wrote in an email to The Hawk. “At the same time, this program offered eligible employees a unique opportunity to influence the direction of their career or bridge to retirement.”
The VSP stipulates that staff “who are approved and participate in the VSP will not be eligible for re-employment over the next 5 calendar years (60 months following the effective date).” But some VSP faculty and staff may be offered adjunct courses based on university and departmental needs.
Mary-Elaine Perry, Ph.D., Title IX coordinator, applied and was accepted to the program. She said she will be signing the agreement.
“It had been my intention to retire this summer, so why not?” Perry said. “If I can be accepted into this program, that’s great. If not, I will retire. I wasn’t going to lose anything by putting my application in.”
Perry said her supervisor is aware of her decision, and she has spoken to some people she works with about her plans to take the buyout.
It is unclear if the university will fill the positions of those who decide to accept the VSP. According to Benner, some positions may be filled while others may not.
“University leaders will be looking at the institution’s staffing structure holistically to ensure business continuity,” Benner wrote. “If a position is deemed business-critical, it will be filled.”
McConnell wrote that the employees who take the buyout will be missed.
“But it is our hope that those who choose to participate will find great happiness and success in their next chapter,” McConnell wrote. “In the short term, we will need to transfer knowledge and cross-train certain staff until ultimate staffing and organizational design decisions are determined.”
