Editorial: Questions about freeze must be answered
Nov. 18, 2008
On Monday, UM system President Gary Forsee sent an e-mail to all UM faculty announcing a hiring freeze on all administrative, staff, faculty and student positions effective immediately - meaning that aside from the work/study programs that will remain in place, students not already employed by MU won't be finding jobs here anytime soon.
Forsee backed up the freeze by referencing the dismal state of the economy, and basically gave no hint as to when the hiring freeze might end. The e-mail also said that Chancellor Brady Deaton can override the hiring freeze in emergency situations, but it didn't specify how faculty and staff members can request and achieve one of those overrides.
There are a whole lot of questions left unanswered by the e-mail. At press time tonight, no information had been sent out explaining all of the implications of the freeze. The memo sent to faculty and staff was lacking in details, and we want to know exactly how it will be affecting us as soon as possible.
For one, how is this going to affect job positions at libraries, the Student Recreation Center and through Campus Dining Services? These jobs have incredibly high turnover, with large numbers of students leaving each semester and new students taking over their positions. Will the hiring freeze simply freeze the number of positions in place, or will it make it so that these institutions can't hire any new employees at all? If the latter, places like MizzouRec would completely fall part.
The e-mail also doesn't state whether or not the freeze will be re-evaluated and if so, when. Forsee needs to select a specific date to take a look at the budget situation in light of the current state of the economy and decide whether to continue, alter or end the hiring freeze. As of right now, there's no end in sight, and that's kind of unsettling.
We aren't happy with the freeze to begin with. As students who may be looking for university employment in the near future, the idea of no potential hires isn't an inviting one.
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