IELP Article 22 Update: Let’s Reverse the Course for Layoffs!

In January of 2021, an Article 22 process was initiated by Provost Jeffords when she deemed that retrenchment of the Intensive English Language Program was necessary. She identified that there was a “condition requiring reduction or elimination of [IELP] if the President finds that institutional operations within a reduced budget, or failure to reallocate funds, would result in a serious distortion of the academic or other essential programs and services of the University if retrenchment procedures were not implemented.” Following this announcement, AAUP responded with detailed reasons why and how the University could subsidize IELP during this pandemic and await a decision about the program until after the impact of the Trump Muslim ban, the impact of his administration, and impacts of the pandemic dissipated so we could identify a more consistent enrollment pattern. The Faculty Senate also weighed in with their comments on the process. Both agreed that to wait was necessary and the reasons for doing so were numerous (click here for the APRCA response and PSU-AAUP response). 

Despite pleas to act moderately (if at all) on account of substantial federal funds being received in the form of pandemic assistance and to re-imagine how IELP faculty could be creatively redeployed to assist current initiatives, President Percy released the Article 22 Retrenchment Provisional Plan on Tuesday, May 11th calling for the layoff of 9 NTTF, or 43% of their current instructional faculty, effective September 1st. 

This is a devastating blow to the unit, and undermines administration’s current narrative of supporting creative and innovative ways to position the university for the new post-pandemic reality. The IELP faculty is mostly comprised of women who have worked at PSU for more than a decade (some two) and it was our hope that PSU could do a few things to keep these faculty members employed at PSU. We supported redeploying them to units across campus where support for non-native speakers, both domestic and international, is sorely inadequate or non-existent. We also encouraged PSU to look at other University-subsidized units--Athletics, the Business Accelerator program, etc--to find financial savings. None of the comments received during the first 30 day comment period were incorporated into this provisional plan. Moreover, there was little, if any, consideration of the multiple suggestions submitted to use federal rescue monies and sustained state funding to stave off layoffs, support the curriculum redesign currently underway, and support the reorganization and merger of the Office of International Affairs (OIA) and the IELP into the new Office of Global Engagement and Innovation (OGEI). We asked Administration to utilize the expertise available whilst awaiting the end of the pandemic and seeing how the world responds. 

In sum, we find it unconscionable to call for any cuts at this time, as the University clearly has substantial funds to support the IELP through the next academic year. We need to see how trends rebound, how the merge into the new Office of Global Engagement and Innovation settles, and to allow the IELP room to implement its new curriculum, scheduled to launch in Spring 2022. President Percy’s decision further strengthens our skepticism about the ReImagine initiative and how administration will (or will not) incorporate ideas received from the campus community.

TAKE ACTION NOW TO SUPPORT IELP!
We now have 30 days to respond to this plan. IELP Needs OUR SUPPORT. Please submit comments to the President’s plan via the President’s website and to the Faculty Senate Ad Hoc APRCA Committee website (please submit to both portals, as the President is not obliged to share the comments received, but the APRCA committee will compile a report for Faculty Senate that will be available publicly). We did note that fewer comments were sent directly to the President’s office than to the APRCA committee portal during the first 30 day comment period.  We do appreciate any advocacy you can do for the faculty in this program. Sadly, you never know who is next. However, if we push back strong now, we collectively might be able to reverse the course.