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The Provost has sent an email out to the faculty inviting them to a forum about RPI’s economic situation. He opens the letter with the following paragraph. (Emphasis ours.)

As we begin a new semester, given the pressures that Rensselaer has faced recently as a result of external economic conditions, it is important for members of the Rensselaer faculty to know that the Institute did not take lightly the decision to reduce its staff. The departing employees were hard-working and their contributions were valuable. But the current economic reality, as every family and every university and business leader knows, requires actions that focus on long-term sustainability and growth – even if it necessitates short-term discomfort. This is the spirit in which Rensselaer acted. While of course we empathize with, and continue to offer support to, every single person that was let go, the university’s leadership team firmly believes our decision was the best course of action.

They’re sticking to their guns on this one. But calling layoffs “short term discomfort”? C’mon! The email also reiterates information about Dr. Jackson’s salary. Her salary is set by the Board of Trustees which meets a couple of times a year.

There is a faculty meeting in a few hours at 3pm. Students are not invited. Because of the suspension of the faculty senate, this meeting is of note as it gathers tenured and tenure track faculty together.

Full email below!

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Subject: Provost Message on Economic Crisis
From: “Palazzo, Robert E.”

Dear Colleagues,

As we begin a new semester, given the pressures that Rensselaer has faced recently as a result of external economic conditions, it is important for members of the Rensselaer faculty to know that the Institute did not take lightly the decision to reduce its staff. The departing employees were hard-working and their contributions were valuable. But the current economic reality, as every family and every university and business leader knows, requires actions that focus on long-term sustainability and growth – even if it necessitates short-term discomfort. This is the spirit in which Rensselaer acted. While of course we empathize with, and continue to offer support to, every single person that was let go, the university’s leadership team firmly believes our decision was the best course of action.

As provost, I have worked closely with President Jackson and the university vice presidents toward the goal of protecting Rensselaer’s academic strength during these trying economic times. Like the leaders of every other nonprofit organization, business, and university currently sailing these uncharted waters, we comprehensively scrutinized our financial situation. This analysis allowed the university to reexamine and reassert its priorities. As you know, our mission is “the application of science to the common purposes of life” through the education of young minds. This is a task at which Rensselaer has become – and will continue to be – increasingly adept. It is important to know and recognize that the recent reduction in staff, while unfortunate and sad for those affected, was necessary to protect this noble mission.

Reductions were necessary; 1) to assure additional financial support for our students and families who will be impacted by the current economic crisis, 2) to minimize tuition increases in the coming year, 3) to allow continued faculty recruitment, and 4) to meet required increases in contributions to the defined benefit pension plan that continues to support a number of our current active faculty and staff, as well as those who have retired under this plan.

In October, Rensselaer implemented a hiring freeze and eliminated many vacant positions, and each vice president greatly scaled down the operating budget. These efforts were not sufficient to stave off the effects of a worsening global economic environment. More budgets cuts were needed as the situation continued to decline. As President Jackson said to the Rensselaer community, we explored a number of alternatives, including furloughs, unpaid work days, a four-day work week, salary reductions, and early retirement incentives. In the end, after careful analysis, we determined that a staffing reduction strategy was necessary to meet both the short-term and long-term needs of Rensselaer and its key stakeholders.

As a major employer in Troy and New York’s Capital Region, Rensselaer’s staff reduction garnered much attention. Unfortunately, much of the commentary in the media coverage and the online response has been cynical and destructive, focusing on the President’s salary. While of course this is a time to support those who lost their jobs, it is also important to remember the major achievements and the job creation that has occurred at Rensselaer as a direct result of President Jackson’s leadership. The Board of Trustees sets the pay for the President, to do the job she has done and continues to do for Rensselaer.

The Institute has achieved many important milestones in recent years, from investing more than $600 million in campus facilities and recruiting nearly 230 new faculty, to doubling our sponsored research funding and more than doubling the number of undergraduate student applications. In addition, recent reports indicate an unprecedented increase in the number of graduate student applications this year.

Rensselaer has also been a good neighbor, attracting national and international investment and maintaining a multimillion-dollar economic impact on the City of Troy and the Capital Region. Rensselaer’s growth and impact continue along their upward trajectory – and Rensselaer’s leadership will work tirelessly to ensure this situation does not change.

Now is not the time to lash out and point fingers by singling out the salary and compensation of President Jackson. Now is the time for Rensselaer to come together as an academic community, continuing to build upon its academic strength and international stature. Now is the time for Rensselaer staff and faculty to redouble our focus on the critical work of educating the leaders of tomorrow.

I urge all tenured and tenure track faculty to attend the meeting next Wednesday, January 14, at 3:00 PM, in the Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies where we will have the opportunity to discuss the impact of the current economic crisis on Rensselaer.

Respectfully,
R.E. Palazzo, Provost
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

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