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THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN MONDAY, AUGUST 17, 2009
CAMPUS
University could place workers on unpaid leave
BY JUSTIN HILLEY jhilley@kansan.com
The University has announced a new "All University Furlough Policy"
that allows the University to put faculty, staff and student employees on involuntary and unpaid temporary leave of absence for budgetary reasons. The policy was enacted July 10.
Student employees include student hourly employees.
Barbara Atkinson, interim chancellor, said the policy was designed to fulfill the University's fiscal responsibilities during times of budgetary constraints or reductions.
"Furloughs are temporary, they save jobs,and, in spite of disruptions,they provide continuity for our operations."
graduate research assistants and graduate teaching assistants.
DANNY ANDERSON Interim provost
Atkinson said the policy allowed the University to reduce employees' salaries, reduce hourly rates of pay and implement furloughs, as necessary. She said it was developed in case the University experienced more losses in state funding.The University's budget has
The policy states that reductions might be of a temporary or permanent nature, depending on the severity of the constraints or reductions.
already been cut by $32.3 million, or 12 percent, this year.
"It says we could do it," Atkinson said. "We all sincerely hope we don't have to."
Danny Anderson, interim provost, said he did not know yet whether the University would need to implement the furlough policy.
"Furloughs are a temporary solution that could be used to respond to further reductions in state funds," Anderson said. "Furloughs are temporary, they save jobs, and, in spite of disruptions, they provide continuity for our operations. Lay-offs are permanent, eliminate jobs, and cause greater disruption."
If the furlough plan is put into effect, Anderson said, students would be affected in a variety of ways. He said employees who were on furlough could not answer work-related e-mails and could not respond to telephone queries. He said services would be slower in offices that serve students and faculty-member office hours would be affected.
"A furlough is a temporary solution. We're looking at a couple of years that we think are going to be challenges." Anderson said. "Furloughs are strategies for addressing one step at a time, which has been the way we approached this."
Edited by Dylan Sands
HEALTH
Avoiding the freshman 15
BY HANNAH DECLERK
hdeclerk@kansan.com
To some incoming students, the "freshman 15" seems like an unavoidable rite of passage. However, according to the University's team of dieters, the dreaded curse can be easily overcome — making it less fact, and more fiction.
Ann Chapman, registered dietician with Student Health Services, said the freshman 15 only pertained to some students. The students who gain the weight are normally eating fattier foods in the dining halls and are participating in less physical activity. Chapman said the University was working to eliminate unhealthy eating by offering better options
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