Online Edition | Washington State University | Pullman, Washington | Friday, March 8, 2002

Hiring, purchases
Freeze on; economy warming
By Robert Frank, WSU Today

Adjustments and plans are currently being made campuswide at Washington State University in response to Gov. Gary Locke’s Feb. 21 announcement of a statewide hiring and spending freeze. Locke’s actions are designed to help offset the state’s looming $1.6 billion revenue deficit, and prepare the way for further actions to be implemented by the Legislature.

On the positive side, however, hints of an eventual thawing trend appeared several days later when traditional nationwide indicators revealed signs of an improving economy. The speed and momentum of this trend, if it continues at its current rate, unfortunately will be too slow to avert the current state revenue shortfall. (Related story page 8.)

In his initial announcement, Locke stated, "A worsening state revenue outlook requires immediate action to freeze hiring, travel and equipment purchases. We are now looking at a deficit of more than $1.6 billion in the 2001 – 03 biennial budget as a result of a lower revenue forecast and higher forecasts for public school enrollment, social service caseloads, juvenile rehabilitation and prison populations."

The governor said this policy applies to all regular state agencies, and he called on higher education institutions to impose similar restrictions. The university promptly responded with new guidelines on hiring and equipment purchases.

"Administrators all over the university are examining whether vacant, or soon-to-be-vacant, positions are essential to be filled," said Karl Boehmke, executive budget director. "Those that are essential are being submitted through the appropriate vice presidents for approval.

"Even before this freeze, many areas held positions open in order to establish flexibility during the expected upcoming budget reductions.

"We are continuing, however, to actively recruit and fill essential teaching and research positions, so we can meet the needs of students and provide the classes they need," said Boehmke.

Ironically, the freeze comes at a time when WSU is enjoying record-high enrollment and a record-high application rate.

Reality is, however, that the university can only enroll students when it has sufficient funding to provide the needed services. Due to several years of budget cuts, Boehmke said, WSU has "very little slack in the system. The university is already stretched thin to serve its current record number of students. So, any (teaching and research) vacancies we leave open will make it even harder to provide these services."

The freeze affects all parts of the university. The only funding that is exempted is grant and contract funding, which must be spent as stipulated by their contracts. That means, the freeze does apply to expenditures from all other sources, including 17A funds, donated funds, self-sustaining accounts and other local funds.

Overall, the university employs approximately 5,500 people — faculty, staff and graduate students. Of those, about 1,200 are teaching and research faculty.

"It is essential that we hire the faculty and graduate assistants we need to serve students, so it is likely there will be more classified and administrative positions frozen than faculty," Boehmke said.

But faculty hires will not be automatic either. Provost Robert Bates told deans, "it will be necessary that exemptions for all hiring (faculty, administrative/professional and classified) receive approval from this (the Provost’s) office. It is expected that appropriate approvals will have been secured from the chair or dean."

Because there are so many details and nuances to the freeze and pending budget cuts, University Relations has established a Web page, http://answerline.wsu.edu/freeze.asp, as part of AnswerLine (the online source by which employees can ask questions and receive answers about the university).

Here are a few of the more commonly asked questions and their answers:

Q: Will classified staff step increases be impacted by the freeze?

A: No. Classified step increases will take place as scheduled.

Q: Will classified staff upgrades be impacted by the freeze?

A: No. The freeze does not impact legitimate reclassifications if they are approved through an audit of the duties performed by the individual. Voluntary upgrades or promotions may be impacted, depending on the specific circumstance.

Q: Why don’t we freeze capital construction projects and use those funds to pay for operations?

A: First of all, the governor and the Legislature have not frozen capital construction funds at this time. In fact, Locke has indicated that he believes continued construction of state buildings and facilities is important to the state’s economy. Second, capital construction funds cannot be used for operations. Capital and operating dollars are appropriated separately by the Legislature.

Q: Does the hiring freeze apply to hiring temporary employees? What about the hiring of hourly time-slip employees?

A: Yes, the hiring freeze applies to hiring both permanent and temporary faculty, administrative-professional and classified employees in regular positions. Remember that each vice president will review proposed hirings and authorize hirings deemed essential for operation of the university.

The freeze does not apply to hourly part-time temporary appointments for students and nonstudents (time-slip appointments). Budget administrators should review hourly appointments to see if the number of appointments or the number of hours per week can be reduced, but no special higher-level review is required. However, the civil service rules and labor agreements do not permit departments to fill permanent positions with part-time or time-slip employees in order to circumvent the rules of the hiring freeze.

Q: Should teaching and research faculty searches-in-progress continue?

A: Yes, and offers can be made at the appropriate time, unless the dean determines that they need to halt the search to provide flexibility in meeting the reduction. As we implement the freeze, we will work to honor outstanding offers so we can fulfill commitments already made.

Searches for any other positions should be reviewed to see if they are essential. No new searches should be started without direct discussion and approval from the Provost’s Office.

"The purpose of the freeze and the expenditure approval process," Bates said, "is to make sure that university units conserve funds from all sources in order to put themselves in the best position to support their highest strategic priorities while addressing whatever budget reductions may be imposed to address the state revenue shortfall."

Long-term, Boehmke said, WSU’s focus needs to be on the future. "We need to work with state leaders to find a way to provide stable and adequate financing in the future, so we can provide high-quality education at an affordable price for students and their families. Then, we can expand to serve more students."