SUNY Rockland Community College braces for faculty layoffs, president confirms
RAMAPO − More layoffs and furloughs are coming to SUNY Rockland Community College, President Lester Edgardo Sandres Rápalo confirmed to lohud.com on Monday.
"I wouldn't put a number on it right now," Rápalo said after RCC's Board of Trustees meeting. But, he said of cost-cutting measures taken so far to address what now appears to be a $4 million deficit, "It's not enough."
RCC: Layoffs, unpaid furloughs hit college workers amid $3.4M college deficit
About 70 attended the trustees meeting in the college's Ellipse, including red-shirt-wearing members of two unions, the Rockland Community College Federation of Teachers Local 1871 and Rockland Community College Federation of Administrators, which have already been impacted by furloughs and layoffs.
Kristopher Baker, president of the Federation of Teachers local, mentioned in comments to the Board of Trustees that layoffs could hit up to one-fifth of faculty.
"Cutting educators at an educational institution should be a last resort," Baker told the board.
'Our cash flow is bad'
Although Rápalo declined to provide specifics, a memorandum obtained by lohud.com proposed another round of cuts, with specifics outlined. Proposed measures include:
Furloughs extended to the Civil Service Employees Association, the county's largest union, which wasn't included in the initial round.
Cuts in part-time employees.
Cuts of 20 full-time faculty positions.
A tuition increase of $10 per credit.
The college's shaky finances were underscored Monday by Finance & Administration Vice President Victor Anaya, who joined the college on Jan. 2.
See it: Rockland Community College memo outlines fiscal condition, possible measures
"Our cash flow is bad," Anaya said during his report to the board. "I don't know if we're going to make payroll in some cases." He said there's about $4 million in bills "that we have to pay that we can't pay" each pay cycle, and he shifts bills around to cover payroll each cycle.
"There's stuff coming through the cracks and it's unbelievable," Anaya said in response to trustee questions about a request for added staff in his department.
Union president: faculty cuts will hurt students
Baker warned about the impact of layoffs to faculty.
"Cutting one-fifth of my faculty (members) would have a deleterious effect on students," said Baker, a math instructor at the college.
He said faculty facilitate clubs and help with scholarships; provide counseling, including crisis counseling, to students; write letters of recommendation for students pursuing four-year college placement.
"We do much more than teach," Baker said.
Elizabeth Troutner, president of the Rockland Community College Federation of Administrators, wasn't at Monday's meeting because she was on furlough that day, said Corry Spring, vice president of the union local and director of admissions for the college.
Spring said layoffs had occurred among the administration in the last couple weeks and it was "not handled very well."
Those whose departments have experienced layoffs "have no idea what to do with the job duties" of lost workers, Spring said.
Warnings of a 'structural deficit'
The college last fall revealed what was categorized as a "structural deficit," which implies the imbalance could be expected to recur if budgeting practices remain the same. At the time, a spokesperson for the college said it was $3.4 million.
The board voted in November 2023 to ax nine administrator positions and institute nine days of furloughs — days off without pay — during the first half of 2024 for faculty, administrators and other key employees. Savings from the two moves and others were estimated to be around $1.6 million.
RCC's operating costs for 2023-2024 were $67,158,655, according to State University of New York documents; 36.2% was covered by student tuition and fees; 23.3% by state aid; 34.3% by Rockland County (and other counties); and 6.2% through various other fees.
Nancy Cutler writes about People & Policy for lohud.com and the USA Today Network New York. Reach her at ncutler@lohud.com; follow her at @nancyrockland on X (formerly Twitter), Instagram and Threads.
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: SUNY Rockland Community College braces for faculty layoffs, furloughs
