Furlough Ambiguity

Thanks to Ann Adams for this material:

The Yudof letter states:

"You will be able to take the furlough days at a time of your choosing, in consultation with your manager and/or if your location designates certain closure days throughout the twelve month period. This gives the University flexibility to help manage operations and gives employees flexibility to manage personal time off."

However, the Appendix B to his statement to the Regents is a little less clear:

"The Plan is created to achieve the greatest possible payroll savings while allowing necessary flexibility for the work force to minimize disruption of essential services and work throughout the Plan term."

"...By way of example, an Included Employee (staff) is given 18 furlough days reflecting a seven percent salary reduction for the Plan term. Some of these 18 days may be used during formally scheduled furlough days that will be directed by a campus or the Office of the President throughout the year. The remaining days can be used at the employee‚s discretion as floating days off of work, subject to supervisor approval."

Either way, teaching labor is going to be disrupted: Furloughs taken on "non-class" days seriously cut into class preparation time, every bit as essential to our teaching mission as the time spent in the classroom with out students.