|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
Today marks the second furlough day for employees at the Hayward and Concord campuses of California State University East Bay.
The library, student health services and student housing offices will be open, but with reduced staff, according to university spokesman Barry Zepel. The university police dispatch office and patrols will remain fully staffed.
Members of a union representing California State University system faculty announced in July that they voted to accept two unpaid furlough days a month for a year to address the budget deficit facing the system, a union spokeswoman said.
The furlough plan was approved by 54 percent of the California Faculty Association members, according to union spokeswoman Alice Sunshine.
CSU Chancellor Charles Reed proposed the plan in July to help address a $584 million budget deficit for the 2009-2010 academic year.
Along with the furloughs, the CSU system is not accepting new students for the upcoming winter and spring terms and is increasing students’ fees.
California Faculty Association President Lillian Taiz said the furloughs would likely lead to the canceling of certain classes. An increase in class sizes is also likely because of the cuts.
The furloughs are expected to save about $275 million for the CSU system, but an additional $190 million in cuts will be spread statewide among the campuses, making it likely that some faculty and academic staff will have to be cut, according to Taiz.
The next furlough day after today will be Sept. 11.