Center of Service and Leadership Suffers Budget Cuts
Last year, departments around the university were tasked with reevaluating their budgets and to offer cuts. The Center for Service and Leadership was one program that was a recipient of the cuts. This resulted in their LEADership Challenge program being completely cut, as well as halving the salary and time of Paul Prociv, the CSL’s now-former Civic Engagement Specialist and staff advisor.
“Personally I’ve been crazy stressed,” stated Prociv. “Even though I worked half time, I worked more than that to make sure that the students were supported adequately. It’s frustrating to not be able to support the amount students need for development, professional development. Frustrating that student activities can’t get the attention they need — as well about 40% less attendance than the previous year, due to half time and securing community partners.”
Students within the CSL expressed their sadness and disappointment at the changes happening within the program. Nicholas Roberts, CSL Student Lead and sophomore in Computer Science and Systems, talked about how they are struggling as students are taking on more work.
“There is more work,” Roberts said. “The question was raised in our meeting if we can handle 19.5 hours, up from the 15 hours we are doing now. The more we do, the more [it seems] the budget gets cut.”
The CSL focuses on community outreach and allows students to engage with their communities through volunteering. They work to develop a positive community and believe that, through the work between students and community members, students will have the chance to learn and better themselves with unique opportunities, according to their mission statement.
“We had so many new ideas how to build onto these programs,” Nicole Nichols, CSL Student Leader Senior in Social Welfare stated. “I thought of so many since spring, but how are we able to do that if we don’t have the resources to. If this CSL is gone, it will be a huge loss to UWT,” `
Nichols explained that the CSL helps to support student activities on campus, and that this cut is severely limiting their ability to keep that student retention.
“If students make connections with others, it helps encourage them to keep coming and creating relationships,” Nichols said. “It’s even proven to help [a student’s] GPA in some cases.”
The cuts also affected their summer training and development for the five student leader positions in the CSL, as well.
Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs and Enrollment Services Mentha Hynes-Wilson, who was tasked with offering department cuts at 1.5%, 3.5%, and 4.5%, discussed the impact Prociv had within the department.
“We’re sorry to see him go,” Hynes-Wilson said. “Paul’s been a part of this team for quite some years. The CSL has been his — he nurtured it. You know, it was his idea. He brought it forward, he got funding and has put in place some really well-attended programs.”
Prociv argued that by cutting and limiting the resources of the CSL, then the campus is not sufficiently preparing its student leaders for the working world.
“‘Education is not preparation for life, but life itself,’” Prociv said, quoting one of his favorite educators John Dewey. “I fear that if we are not embodying that, [then] we are setting up our students for failure and the exploitation of life.”
Summary of FY20 Admin Unit Budget Cuts
Administrative Unit Reductions (on-going budget-to-budget comparison, as of 5/20/19)
| Administrative Unit | Actual 2018- 2019 | Proposed 2020 Reductions | Proposed Requests | Proposed 2019-20 Budget | % Reduction |
| Chancellor’s Office | $949,904 | $(283,874) | $58,000 | $734,029 | -24.0% |
| Equity and Incl. | $461,070 | $27,503 | $488,572 | 6.0% | |
| Strategy & Assess. | $542,604 | $(58,733) | $483,871 | -10.8% | |
| Com. Partnerships | $242,190 | $75,544 | $317,734 | 31.2% | |
| Finance & Administration | $7,913,771 | $(857,900) | $334,428 | $7,390,299 | -6.6% |
| Academic Affairs (admin) | $5,688,303 | $(375,248) | $321,865 | $5,634,920 | -0.9% |
| Student Affairs | $5,350,087 | $(269,945) | $123,470 | $5,203,612 | -2.7% |
| Advancement | $2,373,919 | $(79,489) | $17,824 | $2,312,154 | -2.6% |
| Information Tech | $2,834,306 | $(120,812) | $133,717 | $2,847,212 | 0.5% |
| Total All | $26,345,153 | $(2,045,011) | $1,092,251 | $25,392,403 | -3.6% |
INFORMATION COURTESY OF THE CHANCELLOR’S OFFICE
