“Clearly, this is a difficult time for each person who was impacted, as well as those who remain working at the university (as we’ve lost our colleagues and friends),” he added.
The positions were eliminated following a mandate from the private, Christian university’s board of trustees that the university reallocate $4 million of the $110 million operating budget.
“Based on a struggling economy, the university’s leadership estimated some turbulence in higher education (in the future) and by taking these preventative steps, will become a more sustainable organization,” Weinstein said.
He added that 126-year-old university is in its 34th consecutive year of operating without a deficit, and “by proactively reallocating resources instead of making across the board cuts, Cedarville is hoping to avoid situations that other schools are in where they are forced to slash budgets.”
The university is raising tuition 2.8 percent next year, to $26,220, at the same time it is increasing and redesigning its financial aid program to $23.4 million.
Prior to the lay-offs, Cedarville, which has more than 3,000 undergraduates, employed 344 full-time staff, 44 part-time staff and 265 full-time faculty and administrators, Weinstein said.
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