SALEM — Salem State College announced a "restructuring" that eliminates 60 jobs from all areas except faculty, according to a college spokeswoman.
The college announced its plans late yesterday afternoon after 25 employees were effectively laid off.
That included 10 clerical and support staff members whose layoffs took effect immediately and 15 administrative staff placed on paid administrative leave pending a June 3 trustees vote on the restructuring proposal, college spokeswoman Karen Cady said.
College President Patricia Maguire Meservey has also directed that 35 vacant positions remain unfilled, according to a press release.
"This proposed restructuring will enable us to reimagine and redesign Salem State in ways that will place us on a sounder long-term course," Meservey said in a prepared statement, "with our excellence undiminished and our commitment to our students firmly in place."
The 60 job cuts represent about 7 percent of the college's total work force of 850 full-time employees, Cady said.
Senior management held one-on-one meetings to lay off employees or place them on administrative leave yesterday, according to Cady.
Fifteen administrative employees were placed on paid administrative leave. Those positions include directors, assistant directors and office positions in various areas, Cady said. Those employees are members of the Association of Professional Administrators Union, she said.
Ten employees who belong to the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Union were laid off. Those employees include clerical and support staff, Cady said.
"Basically, all the personnel actions affected areas all across campus," Cady said. "There was no one specific area."
Faculty members, however, were spared, she said.
"The whole purpose behind it is to maintain academic excellence and to be able to service our students and student life," Cady said. "That's our main goal, to keep faculty in the classroom."
Cady said the job cuts are part of the college's five-year strategic plan.
"The strategic plan really is to position the college to be a leading regional academic institution," Cady said. "and provide academic excellence and accessibility to the students."
The college's press release also acknowledges "the current economic climate."
She said the restructuring will "increase efficiencies and streamline a lot of processes to make the college more efficient."
"(The plan) really outlines steps to kind of retool us for the 21st century," Cady said.
When asked about the timing of the cuts, which fell on the first workday after commencement, Cady said there was "not any specific rationale for it."
The Salem State College Board of Trustees is scheduled to vote on the restructuring plan during its board meeting, set for June 3 at 4 p.m. in Presidential Hall on South Campus.
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