Edinboro retrenches 21 permanent faculty, eliminates other teaching positions

Edinboro University President Dr. Guiyou Huang announced today, via email, that the university will be retrenching 21 permanent faculty, while also "reducing the teaching load assignments by the full-time equivalent (FTE) of 26 temporary/adjunct and regular part-time faculty following the end of the spring semester." The announcement comes following a 5-month academic program review and the announcement of 21 academic programs being put in moratorium.

As part of the full-time equivalent reduction of 26, five part-time faculty will not receive work assignments and "multiple adjunct faculty" will not see their contracts renewed.

According to Dr. Jamie Martin, president of APSCUF and teacher at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, retrenchment is a "person being dismissed, due to no fault of their own." Retrenchment is a letter a professor or employee at a university receives stating they will no longer be employed at the institution at the end of the academic year. Martin emphasized retrenchment is not based on behavior or misconducts; it’s about reducing the number of employees.

Huang noted that 12 faculty members have already been moved to other departments within the university, in order to "minimize the impact of retrenchment," and that "nine currently open faculty positions will remain unfilled."

“While necessary, these decisions are not easy. They are life-changing for the faculty involved and for their families,” said Huang. “Please keep our colleagues in your thoughts and offer support where you can.”

In his email, Huang also mention the ongoing integration study between Edinboro, Clarion and California and said it will “provide significantly expanded opportunities for students – both inside and outside the classroom as well as in-person and online.” 

“Even as we move toward integration, Edinboro and our sister institutions must make every effort to ensure each of us is in the best possible financial position,” said Huang. “It is what is being asked of us by the State System, and it is the right thing to do.”

He added: "Change, while hard, is necessary. It is happening across higher education at both private and public colleges and universities. There may not be much solace in knowing we are not alone, but it is the current reality of the higher-education sector."

The Spectator reached out to Edinboro faculty union representation, but did not receive a response as of this time.

 Kimberly Firestine is the Executive Editor for The Spectator. She can be reached at edinboro.spectator@gmail.com.

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