Retrenchment is the process by which the university reduces programs or services, resulting in the suspension or separation of faculty. It is governed by Board Policy 3356-10-28. Under SB 1 it is not a bargainable subject, with one exception described below.
The exemption — and its fifteen-day deadline
If you have at least thirty but fewer than thirty-five years of service in an Ohio state retirement system on the date you receive notice, you are exempt from retrenchment until you reach thirty-five years. To claim it you must furnish the Chief Human Resources Officer with written verification from the retirement system within fifteen days of receiving notice.
This is the only part of retrenchment that remains bargainable under SB 1, and it is the only protection in the policy that depends on you acting. Contact the chapter the day notice arrives and request your service verification from STRS immediately — it takes time to obtain.
When retrenchment can happen
The grounds are broad and the determination sits in the sole discretion of the university: financial exigency; significant reduction in enrollment, credit hours, graduation rates, student-to-faculty ratio or majors; modification, elimination, suspension or reorganization of a college, department, program or major; action by ODHE or the General Assembly; reallocation of university resources; alignment with strategic objectives; an administrative decision to execute an operational change; or other pertinent factors.
Separately, state law (SB 1) requires the elimination of undergraduate programs averaging fewer than five degrees annually over any three-year period unless the chancellor grants a waiver — see Academic Affairs Policy 10-C-04. Program discontinuance can independently lead to retrenchment.
Notice and process
- The provost provides written notice to the chapter and to any affected faculty member by January 31.
- The notice must state that retrenchment is not due to dissatisfaction with your services.
- The circumstances leading to the decision must be shared with the campus community before notices go out.
How the university chooses
There is no priority based on classification, seniority, or rank. Where fewer than all positions in a unit are affected, the university retains those it determines are best qualified to meet programmatic, curricular and institutional needs, in the judgment of the provost. Considerations may include specialized credentials, scholarly expertise essential to a major, and competence necessary for accreditation.
Tenure and years of service do not determine who stays.
Other provisions worth knowing
- Faculty on a retrenchment list may apply for other posted faculty positions for which they are fully qualified.
- A cross-appointed faculty member is treated as belonging to the program where they teach the majority of their classes, and may be considered for relocation to another program where they hold appointment.
- Post-doctoral faculty will not be retrenched so long as funding remains one hundred percent external.
- Vacant positions are considered closed and may not be filled unless justified and approved as new.
- On notification you lose departmental voting rights — chair nominations, tenure and promotion, and curricular matters relating to the next academic year.
- Protected speech is prohibited from consideration in retrenchment determinations. If you believe it was a factor, tell the President (president@ysuoea.org) or the Grievance Chair (grievance@ysuoea.org).
If you receive a notice
- Contact the President (president@ysuoea.org) or the Grievance Chair (grievance@ysuoea.org) the same day.
- If you are anywhere near thirty years of service, request verification from STRS immediately — the fifteen-day window is short.
- Keep the notice and every related communication.
- Do not sign anything before speaking with the chapter.