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I'm curious about who they laid off. Many colleges lay off many of their dining and facilities workers each summer - were those counted? I know summer programs are also likely facing layoffs.
"BU has formally laid off 1,636 students from non–federally funded part-time jobs who are unable to perform their jobs remotely because of the nature of the work. These include reception work, jobs at FitRec, office support, dining halls, work at events, and the like. But the layoffs, which included two weeks of pay, apply only to that group, whose jobs were typically funded by BU. "
If they had plenty of endowment money then why have any layoffs? Obviously there's no professors or administrators here but that's exactly my point. They wouldn't be doing this unless they were anticipating students wouldn't be coming back. I have bloomberg news service on in the background and they were talking about retail. Many are furloughed so they'll be offered the jobs back once the OK is given but they asked would customers return. Likewise with higher education it's been moving online over the past 23 or so years.
People make budget cuts when they need more money to pay for operations. You lose your job then you stop going out to eat, cut back on driving, cut going out to the movies etc. There's a difference between a furlough and a layoff. Layoffs mean they aren't coming back. You have to ask yourself is it really saving that much for the next few months. It's April, it's about eight weeks in academia. I think we can infer that academia is anticipating that it does not open in September. The call for this should be made sometime in July.
"BU has formally laid off 1,636 students from non–federally funded part-time jobs who are unable to perform their jobs remotely because of the nature of the work. These include reception work, jobs at FitRec, office support, dining halls, work at events, and the like. But the layoffs, which included two weeks of pay, apply only to that group, whose jobs were typically funded by BU. "
If they had plenty of endowment money then why have any layoffs?
One has absolutely nothing to do with the other. First of all, these jobs are no longer needed, and can't be done remotely, since all of those campus facilities have been shut down. Second, those students are more than likely long gone from campus, except for the rare instance where they had off-campus housing and were not able to return to their families for any reason (travel freeze, international constraints, etc.). And please note that these were not "work study" jobs, which are need-based...so those students are being paid despite not working.
"BU has formally laid off 1,636 students from non–federally funded part-time jobs who are unable to perform their jobs remotely because of the nature of the work. These include reception work, jobs at FitRec, office support, dining halls, work at events, and the like. But the layoffs, which included two weeks of pay, apply only to that group, whose jobs were typically funded by BU. "
I worked a similar role when I was in college. These are more akin to a summer job for a teenager. I managed the pool hall when I was living on campus, and received pay and a tuition credit.
The fact that these positions are cut doesn't really surprise me. Most students are probably in the process (of they haven't already) of moving home, and there really isn't a need for the school to continue to pay someone who manages the on-campus coffee shop when these jobs typically only last a semester anyway.
"BU has formally laid off 1,636 students from non–federally funded part-time jobs who are unable to perform their jobs remotely because of the nature of the work. These include reception work, jobs at FitRec, office support, dining halls, work at events, and the like. But the layoffs, which included two weeks of pay, apply only to that group, whose jobs were typically funded by BU. "
If they had plenty of endowment money then why have any layoffs? Obviously there's no professors or administrators here but that's exactly my point. They wouldn't be doing this unless they were anticipating students wouldn't be coming back. I have bloomberg news service on in the background and they were talking about retail. Many are furloughed so they'll be offered the jobs back once the OK is given but they asked would customers return. Likewise with higher education it's been moving online over the past 23 or so years.
People make budget cuts when they need more money to pay for operations. You lose your job then you stop going out to eat, cut back on driving, cut going out to the movies etc. There's a difference between a furlough and a layoff. Layoffs mean they aren't coming back. You have to ask yourself is it really saving that much for the next few months. It's April, it's about eight weeks in academia. I think we can infer that academia is anticipating that it does not open in September. The call for this should be made sometime in July.
A furlough doesn't make sense in the context of student employment. Many of those students would be leaving in May anyway - either graduating, summer internships, summer job at home, etc. Most colleges operate on a skeleton student crew over the summer. Effectively, most colleges "lay off" the bulk of their student staff each summer. Most of that is by choice but some students would likely have preferred to continue their job through the summer, there was just no need. That's also true of dining staff and many academic department staffs.
I certainly think BU should have paid the students based on the average of hours worked over the past semester, but BU also is out a ton of money room & board refunds and shipping student's belongings home to them, not to mention lost revenue from research and space rentals. I would assume they're expecting no study abroad next year and limited events, even if everything else is back to normal. BU's study abroad programs bring in people from other universities and is a big moneymaker for the university.
It's too early to say yet what will happen in the fall. My university is preparing for some or all students to be working remotely come September. We also offered acceptances with geography in mind - more local students were accepted than in years past with the idea that parents might not feel comfortable sending their student far away.
I work in higher ed and right now and schools don’t know what to do or plan. The division I work in offers just online courses so we are doing ok right now if anything we have more interest. If people shunned online courses before they’re realizing that it might be all they can offer now.
I don’t think we’re retuning to normal anytime soon. There will need to be new normal. Even if a vaccine comes out soon it won’t necessarily be perfect and won’t help someone if they get this. Someone like my mother in law will likely die If she gets this. It doesn’t seem feasible that everyone stays inside for the next 6 months but I can’t foresee everyone returning to normal life even two months for now. I’ll be scared whenever my kids go back to school.
Last edited by Bridge781; 04-07-2020 at 09:02 AM..
Reason: M
So if you are a senior in College, set to graduate this May, what is your outlook? Are you receiving full credit for the last 3 months? IS there now an asterisk on your diploma? Or are they going to be asked to complete the missed work, or any project capstones that usually take place the final semester?
If you don't receive credit, are colleges giving refunds?
So if you are a senior in College, set to graduate this May, what is your outlook? Are you receiving full credit for the last 3 months? IS there now an asterisk on your diploma? Or are they going to be asked to complete the missed work, or any project capstones that usually take place the final semester?
Of the situations with which I am familiar, courses are being completed online with much leeway, professors will not fail anyone and most students will graduate as planned if they have otherwise met their requirements. There will not be any asterisks on diplomas.
Location: RI, MA, VT, WI, IL, CA, IN (that one sucked), KY
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mdovell
Well this gets interesting.
"BU has formally laid off 1,636 students from non–federally funded part-time jobs who are unable to perform their jobs remotely because of the nature of the work. These include reception work, jobs at FitRec, office support, dining halls, work at events, and the like. But the layoffs, which included two weeks of pay, apply only to that group, whose jobs were typically funded by BU. "
If they had plenty of endowment money then why have any layoffs? Obviously there's no professors or administrators here but that's exactly my point. They wouldn't be doing this unless they were anticipating students wouldn't be coming back. I have bloomberg news service on in the background and they were talking about retail. Many are furloughed so they'll be offered the jobs back once the OK is given but they asked would customers return. Likewise with higher education it's been moving online over the past 23 or so years.
People make budget cuts when they need more money to pay for operations. You lose your job then you stop going out to eat, cut back on driving, cut going out to the movies etc. There's a difference between a furlough and a layoff. Layoffs mean they aren't coming back. You have to ask yourself is it really saving that much for the next few months. It's April, it's about eight weeks in academia. I think we can infer that academia is anticipating that it does not open in September. The call for this should be made sometime in July.
Endowment money can't be spent on whatever a school would like to spend it on. The overwhelming majority of it is in dedicated gifts. Those gift terms are usually rather strict. During the last recession the U I worked for had what was colloquially called an 'endowment liberation' team... a group that reached out to those that gave gifts to try to liberalize their gift terms to give the school flexibility.
Especially now, with the market down, some funds may be underwater which means the income generated might not even be able to spent at all.
I don’t think colleges are the institutions we should be most worried about now. Especially colleges in the Boston area. Plenty of other businesses will be closing first.
Endowment money can't be spent on whatever a school would like to spend it on. The overwhelming majority of it is in dedicated gifts. Those gift terms are usually rather strict. During the last recession the U I worked for had what was colloquially called an 'endowment liberation' team... a group that reached out to those that gave gifts to try to liberalize their gift terms to give the school flexibility.
Especially now, with the market down, some funds may be underwater which means the income generated might not even be able to spent at all.
Although I can understand that it still looks bad as this is the only school making headlines with this. I'm nothing saying these were work study programs. It wasn't that long ago I remember hearing about the huge UMass Amherst business wing being made and capital projects at Springfield College and how much Westfield State expanded. There's usually construction on a the average campus somewhere. The other issue is this. When the economy drops usually you see an increase in students to defer going to work. But with closed borders how much is this going to change? What percentage of a campus is international? If airlines shut down further what are the limits that people want to drive to attend higher ed? Boston isn't that hard to get to via Amtrak and Logan.
On a side note I now think the worst of it is in Greenfield on a per capita basis. About one in every 290 people have it but the death rate is 22% (14 out of 61). I'm sure that could be countered by looking at prexisting conditions but that is very high. When they say that average of 1.5% that's an average and there can be lower and higher amounts. When this ends I have to wonder if they might lower the medicare age to 60.
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