The Justice

CORRECTION: A new version of this story has been posted due to a factual error that is listed at the bottom of the article. The Justice regrets the error.

The Faculty Senate proposed that Arts and Sciences faculty could volunteer to take a 1-percent salary cut in order to prevent two to three other staff layoffs that would have occurred as a result of the projected gaps in the University's fiscal year 2009 operating budget.

"Some of us felt that given Brandeis' traditional, historical commitment to social justice, those faculty members whose jobs were secure might want to take a little bit of the burden for balancing the budget off the backs of staff members whose jobs aren't [secure]," Chair of the Faculty Senate Prof. William Flesch (ENG) wrote in an e-mail to the Justice.

An e-mail will be sent to faculty members today providing them with the option of participating in this effort. Faculty will have until Dec. 19 to make a binding decision, Dean of Arts and Sciences Adam Jaffe said.

Flesch, who plans to volunteer in this effort, explained at the Dec. 4 faculty meeting that "[the plan] would only go in effect if 30 percent of Arts and Sciences [faculty] would agree [to participate] conditionally."

"The idea was raised that some [faculty] might not want a salary cut; they might prefer to just make a charitable contribution to a special fund that would be used for that purpose," Jaffe said in an interview.

Some senior administrators will also be participating in the voluntary salary cut. University President Jehuda Reinharz said at the meeting that he would participate in the salary cut if the goal of 30 percent was reached. He wrote in an e-mail, "It would make the most sense, in my judgment, to utilize the infrastructure and resources that already exist within the Development office to make a tax-deductible gift to the University."

However, while the faculty interested in participating will be given a choice between taking a 1-percent salary cut and making a charitable contribution, Jaffe explained that the University can save $1.30 for every $1 salary cut the faculty members take because of the money saved on the fringe benefit costs, which include social security tax and contributions to pension plans.

Prof. John Burt (ENG), who plans to take a salary cut, said at the faculty meeting, "I would not be able to live with myself if someone I know was laid off and I could have prevented it."

At the meeting, Burt was one of a few faculty members who stood and actually acknowledged that he would be participating, but he was not alone in making his voice heard. In fact, many faculty members were very passionate about the issue.

Many faculty members expressed questions and concerns, while others just praised the Senate for suggesting and establishing the plan.

"This is my 23rd year [at Brandeis], and this is unlike any faculty meeting I've been at," said Prof. Marc Brettler (NEJS). He also said that "It's wonderful to be part of a faculty that is seriously considering this [plan]."

Some of the issues raised in the meeting included the transparency of the administration and whether the money from salary cuts and contributions would actually be put toward saving staff jobs, the anonymity of volunteering and the possibility of a mandatory salary cut across the board.

"I'm not going to say which jobs were saved because I think it would just be bad for the institution," Jaffe said in an interview. "But in my view, I think we're being extremely transparent," he said.

With regards to anonymity, Jaffe said, "Obviously somebody has to know because somebody has to process the paperwork to make this happen, "but I will not know, and neither will the Provost, President Reinharz, senior administrators, department chairs or other faculty members."

Reinharz said that while he wouldn't object to a mandatory cut across the board, it would not be his first option. "My position is that nothing can be ruled out at this time," he later clarified in an e-mail.

"I'm very proud that the Faculty Senate took leadership on this," Brettler said. However, he expressed that he was "disappointed that the leadership did not come from elsewhere," such as from the senior administration, "and that other groups didn't take the effort to spearhead this effort."

Reinharz pointed out that the University will most likely face the same problem a year from now because the financial problem will extend beyond the one-year proposal.

However, Flesch wrote, "A lot of us think this proposal is essentially a Band-Aid. Still, Band-Aids help stanch bleeding, and Band-Aids are all the faculty really has."

-Nashrah Rahman contributed reporting.

Correction: The article initially stated that Dean of Arts and Sciences Adam Jaffe sent out an e-mail last Monday providing professors the option of participating in this effort. Jaffe actually sent the e-mail today.

The article also stated that professors will have until Friday to make a binding decision to participate. Professors actually have until Dec. 19 to make a binding decision.

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