St. Edward's University Hilltopper (Austin, Tex.), Vol. 12, No. 9, Ed. 1 Friday, November 4, 1983 Page: 2 of 4
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Forum
Friday, November 4, 1983
HILLTOPPER
Page 2
Editorial
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Commentary
Personnel cuts trigger emotion
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Yes, emotional. It is because of
my deep emotional attachment to
the people here at SEU that I did
Room 300P
Main Building
Now the Questions: How much
trouble are we really in? Where has
money been going? Why can’t we
operate under a deficit for a little
while, if that’s what it takes? Who
will be next? How are my student
services going to be affected? Who
is going to raise the money that we
now apparently need so desperate-
ly? There are others that everyone
on this campus should be asking.
I imagine I was as shocked when I
read the anonymous letter relating
the elimination of the positions of
Vice-President of Student Services
and Vice President of University
Relations as Sister Jean Burbo and
Bob Fritsch were to hear the news
from Brother Stephen Walsh, St.
Edward’s president.
I know there will have been an at-
tempt at a reasonable explanation
by the release date of this issue, but
at this time of writing, I am dumb-
founded, heartsick, and depressed
by the news. My emotional side has
gotten the upper hand for the mo-
ment.
A final question to Br. Stephen
Walsh. You are the President of
this university. In effect you are the
university. Will you please explain
why it appears that our institution is
acting this way? I’m worried Br.
Stephen. A pat on the head and a
drink of water is for little kids who
don’t need to be concerned. There
are adults here who want to know;
why?
This university will be losing
three people who by all accounts are
loyal and deserving of due con-
sideration. Not lofty praise and
adulation, just the consideration
due hard-working, productive
employees. The courtesy does not
seem to be forthcoming. Why could
anyone not be offered another posi-
tion? Even if it were lower and
turned down, at least the offer
would have been made and the
unspoken rule of fair play would
have been observed. This action
just leaves a bad taste in the mouth
of this university.
relevant. Why did the cutting have
to start at the top?
Editor-in-Chief: Al Puente
Managing Editor: Rob L. Wood
Assistant to the Editors: Phil Rocha III
Copy Editor: Tomilee Harkenrider
Features Editor: Colleen Cole
Sports Editor: Rose Shuler
Sports Staff: Richard Nira, Pati Juarez
Staff Writers: Brian Pankau, Marlene Fortuna, Sandra Pacheo
Contributor: N. L. Reynolds
Cartoonist: Todd De Long
Photographer: Marlene Fortuna
Photography Supervisor: Damian Morgan
Advertising Salesperson: Dennis Kane
Business Manager: Kathy Lind
The Hilltopper is an award-winning weekly newspaper published by the
students of St. Edward’s University. The opinions expressed are either
those of the staff or of the individual writer and do not necessarily reflect
those of the University.
By ROB L. WOOD
Managing Editor
By ROSE SHULER
Sports Editor
People are scared. The feeling expressed by several St.
Edward’s staff members is fear; fear of not having a job
to return to.
The president of this prestigious university made the
decision to obliterate several top executive positions in
search of an answer to SEU’s budget woes. “It is clearly
a question of dollars and cents. And these three salaries
came to $110,000,” said SEU President, Stephen Walsh
during the open form conducted Nov, 1.
It is quite true that Walsh was able to heft $110,000 of
the strained SEU budget, but as Leo Osterhaus, pro-
fessor of management, was quick to point out during
the forum, “What about the remaining $290,000 that
needs to be cut?” Yes, what about the $290,000?
Using arbitrary faculty/staff wages from $14,000 to
$19,300, one could safely assume that anywhere from 15
to 20 positions could be eliminated if Walsh follows cur-
rent trends.
If in one week Walsh can manage to wipe out 22 years
of combined service and experience, the coming weeks
could prove to be tragic for the University.
HILLTOPPER
Campus Mail Box 714
The most unkindest cut of all.
Marc Anthony said that phrase in
reference to Brutus after he had
slain Caesar. How else can these so
called cuts be termed?
Oh, please! Let’s not get too
drippy or sentimental here. No,
let’s be coldly objective and move
forward in the good intentions that
we know are so well placed. After
all, something had to go didn’t it?
Somebody had to go didn’t they?
Who said?! Who said that? The let-
ter received in this office, signed
anonymously, said just the op-
posite.
The reaction was shock, dismay.
The entire affair was a surprise. If
that’s moving forward this universi-
ty had better do some sitting still.
Apparently no one, not Jean Burbo
or Bob Fritsch or Gene Binder, was
consulted in the least on a decision
that most certainly will affect the
future of their lives and the well be-
ing of this university.
One question haunts this student.
Was it really necessary? Of course
the answer is a yes. Of course. What
other answer would be safe to give?
But that does not answer the issue. I
can see by this that this institution is
in deep trouble. Don’t tell me it’s
not deep. I know a smoke screen
when I see one. And I know a
desperation play when I see it too.
“We also have unrestricted assets
that could be sold off to support the
annual budget but we have chosen
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Convenient Communication
Things on this campus were most curious last week.
News of Walsh’s action eliminating his top ad-
ministrators trickled through the grapevine. Things were
very tense, and hushed. Rumors and speculations
abounded as the St. Ed’s community squeaked out the
news.
For that one week the pulse of the University ran
cold. Things were quiet and an incredible tension existed
on campus. Much of this was brought on by the sheer
fact of not knowing; not knowing who knew, who
should know, is the whole affair true, and am I next?
No one knew the official word, and those who did know
kept it quiet.
An entire week elapsed before the official word was
publically announced to the University community. And
when the word came, the students were the last to know.
The memorandum cirrculated which was addressed to
the St. Edward’s community was disseminated among
faculty and staff only.
Earlier this year on Sept. 7, Walsh addressed the
faculty and staff. His address focused primarily on the
problem of effective campus communication, and the
mission statement. “There is lack of effective com-
munication,” Walsh said during his address. During the
, forum Walsh was heard to say, “I am not hiding.”
These phrases are very positive and indicate an openess
not common with most hierarchy. But, actions speak
louder than words, and so have the actions demon-
strated in the past weeks.
Sure, Walsh conducted an open forum to help set
hearts and minds at ease, but it would have been more
effective in two respects. If the St. Edward’s community
was given more than one day’s notice, and if Walsh ac-
tually said anything fresh, a new insight perhaps.
Nothing. Walsh said absolutely nothing that was not
already included in his memorandum, or anything that
was not pending. The general response from the au-
dience which shuffled out of the forum at 5 p.m., Nov.
1, was one of distress and bewilderment.
We all have questions and we all have interests.
Students have invested their time and money, faculty
and staff have their professions, and the St. Ed’s com-
munity shares one last concern. We are all puzzled.
444-2621, Ext. 389
St. Edward's University~3001 S. Congress, Box 714«Austin, Texas 78704
what statement is this elimination
of positions saying to the communi-
ty? Is it fair to expect academic
members to carry the burden of stu-
dent life? Is it fair to them or to the
students? I say no. The student ac-
tivities provided here on campus
have greatly improved since my
freshman year in quantity as well as
in quality. The planning as well as
the attendance has improved. Isn’t
it the responsibility of the institu-
tion to provide a well-rounded
education for its students? This is
one way to ensure we have well-
rounded people functioning in
society. I have one question to ask
-exactly how important is student
life at St. Edward’s? To me it’s very
important because I have gotten so
much out of it, but how important
is it to those who run this universi-
ty. All I can say is that actions
speak louder than words.
not to do so.” Why not, Br.
Walsh? What stopped that decision
from being made? Was it not
preferable to eliminating the top,
best-qualified administrators on
this campus? What are the priorities
here? What’s important? Apparent-
ly not that these people be allowed
to do their jobs to the fullest.
Maybe $1.8 million in land is worth
more to the university than people
who can do the right thing at the
right time? Land can be sold at a
profit. People can only be sold out.
Cuts could have been made, I’m
sure. Don’t tell me that there was
no other recourse. There are always
options, options that could have
been implemented. Why were they
not?
In journalism we have a little rule
of thumb. It says “chop
fearlessly.” It is understood by
every editor that the phrase is not
all inclusive or indisciminate. It is
also understood that you do not cut
the best part of the copy and
relegate it to the cutting room floor
in favor of more space in the paper.
What is cut is that which can be
spared and still retain the original
intent of the writer and stay true to
the meaning of the story. And the
cuts are made from the bottom, not
the lead. Every writer and reporter
writes his or her copy accordingly.
The most important stuff is at the
top, the least important at the bot-
tom. If it has to be cut, then the
story doesn’t suffer that much. This
isn’t intended to be a lesson in jour-
nalistic practices, but the point is
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not transfer after my sophomore
year as I was contemplating. I have
grown so much through my various
experiences here, academically as
well as personally, socially and
spiritually. My work with the Stu-
dent Activities Council, the Hill-
topper, the Tower, The Edsmen, in
the dorms and yes, even with SAI,
has taught me how to respond to
people, how to lead, how to plan,
how to organize, and how to
follow. My self-confidence, once
extremely low, is now in perspec-
tive. I know I can accept a
challenge, set my goals, meet them
and strive to reach even higher
plateaus. I have felt the support of
Sister Jean, Bob Fritsch and many
other St. Ed’s personnel in my
endeavors. It hurts me to see them
let go in such a manner.
Let me look at another side of
this coin, too. On the general level,
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444
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St. Edward's University Hilltopper (Austin, Tex.), Vol. 12, No. 9, Ed. 1 Friday, November 4, 1983, newspaper, November 4, 1983; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1519078/m1/2/: accessed July 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting St. Edward’s University.