[mpen-dayton] Greater Miami Valley Events & News

FYI. Best, Munsup

P.S. Please reply back to me with 'unsubscribe' added to the subject line if you no longer want to receive my e-Newsletters. The convenient link to unsubscribe is no longer available due to security reasons to protect my email servers.

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• (June 4) FW: Your personal invitation to the Interfaith of Greater Dayton's presentation
• (June 10) FW: Teen Personal Safety Workshop
• (June 10) FW: Race Unity Day Picnic
• FW: [OFFICIAL-L] A message from interim President McCray (Wright State University)
• FW: Add your signature to this letter about the (WSU) budget
         and related DDN articles:

• Former administrator testifies in lawsuit against Wright State
• UD Marriott says it's owed money for canceled WSU debate rooms
• Recently announced layoffs, cuts won't be enough at WSU

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From: Katherine Cooper; Interfaith Forum of Greater Dayton Publicity Chair
Subject: Your personal invitation to the Interfaith of Greater Dayton's presentation

The Interfaith Forum of Greater Dayton would like to invite you to attend the following presentations:

Date: 4 June 2017
Time: 3 PM to 5:30 PM
Location: Foster Hall at Christ United Methodist Church; 3440 Shroyer Road; Kettering, Ohio
Topic: GLBTQ within Faith Communities

Speakers to be announced. The presenters will share their personal story and their religious tradition's perspective on this important topic.

Free and open to the public as always.

Some people like to bring a light refreshment to share -- no pork or shellfish please!
Ingredient lists on homemade products help those with food sensitivities make safe choices.

 

 

From: Shelly Diaz
Subject: Teen Personal Safety Workshop

 

 

From: Colette Harrison
Subject: Race Unity Day Picnic

My apologies to those who have previously received this - although please note the change of venue from what was on the Interfaith Events Calendar sent out a while back! - Colette

Race Unity Day Community Picnic
at Sinclair Park    Shelter #2 (4 – 7 pm)



Please join us for a lively get together with food, fellowship … and fun – and hopefully lots of music as well!!!  The Park is located at the junction of Riverside [north] at 635 Shoup Mill Rd.

Sinclair Park is an outstanding recreational facility located in a lovely, wooded setting. It features a walking/running track, a volleyball court, playground equipment and open play area, grills and two open-air shelters.

We'll provide grilling stuff.

Everyone is free to bring "sides/desserts" and/or drinks to share - if you feel so inclined!

Feel free to bring instruments; games, etc.

Hosted by the Bahá'í communities of Harrison Township, Dayton, Vandalia, Trotwood, and Englewood.

There will be a brief program/discussion (at 5:00pm) on
"The Vision of Race Unity – America's Most Challenging Issue"

For more information, contact:

Colette Harrison, Greater Dayton Unites! 937-949-7949 / 937-232-8313, UnityInDiversity_2015_Dayton@yahoo.com
or Liz Gordon, 937-415-0166, elizabet.gordon@att.net

 

 

From: owner-official_list@wright.edu On Behalf Of Curtis L. McCray; Interim President
Sent: Friday, May 26, 2017 8:54 AM
Subject: [OFFICIAL-L] A message from interim President McCray

Dear Campus Community,

I know last Friday was a difficult day for many on our campus. Our financial picture is grim. I know the prospect of our looming job cuts is stressful. Operational changes, spending decisions, and enrollment are among your concerns. The changes will be challenging, but we are creating the Wright State of the future with a sustainable funding model that will allow us to focus on the growth and mission of the university.

I also know students are concerned about their academic programs and whether the budget will interfere with plans to graduate on schedule. Although the university will stop offering three languages, we currently have no plans to eliminate majors or degree programs.

Our work is not done yet. We are finalizing the fiscal year 2018 budget in time for the Board of Trustees' annual budget workshop on June 8. We are also implementing controls so that this situation never happens again. Just as important, your board has changed; they are engaged in financial oversight in a way they were not just three months ago.

You still have time to provide feedback on our budget proposal. The board will accept comments sent from university community members using your Wright State email addresses until June 5. Please email your comments to commentonbudget@wright.edu

I will also remind you that we continue to accept comments about a proposal to change the classified reduction in force policy for non-bargaining unit classified employees. You can learn more about this proposed policy change and submit comments on it until June 4 at http://wright.edu/classifiedlayoffpolicy

I've met with many of you over the last two months and encourage you to share your input and ideas with me as well.

I also encourage you to take advantage of the numerous services our Human Resources department offers, including workshops on resilience, change management, and team building, as well as counseling services and activities to help deal with stress. Planning is also under way to provide support and resources to employees whose jobs are eliminated, including a career expo on June 27.

I will not write a letter next week but plan to communicate again around June 8 with more details about the FY18 budget.

I know it can be difficult to stay positive in such trying times. But I do believe the university is coming out of this challenge in a better position, and remains a prominent contributor to the Dayton region.

I hope the long Memorial Day weekend will provide you with a relaxing break; but also please take a moment to think of family and friends you have lost and honor our veterans.

This mailing list is maintained by the WSU Office of Communications and is used ONLY for official university announcements.

 

 

From: Munsup @SISCOM On Behalf of AAUP-WSU
Subject: FW: Add your signature to this letter about the budget

FYI.    Best, Munsup
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To all Bargaining Unit Faculty:

We invite you to be a signatory of the letter below, which will be sent shortly to the WSU Board of Trustees, Interim President Curtis McCray, and incoming President Cheryl Schrader. To sign, simply reply to this e-mail with the word YES.

Thank you for your attention to this message, and thank you for supporting AAUP-WSU!

Best regards,

Marty Kich, President, AAUP-WSU

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To the WSU Board of Trustees, Interim President Curtis McCray, and incoming President Cheryl Schrader:

We, the undersigned faculty, are writing to express our objection to the proposed FY18 budget announced on May 19. It calls for a $1.6 million increase in budgeted spending for intercollegiate athletics but cuts to every other major spending unit, including $9.5 million in cuts to the seven core colleges and $1 million in cuts to the library (not to mention $3.9 million additional cuts to BSoM and SoPP).

Indeed, when the Board of Trustees hired Dr. McCray as interim President, "maintaining [WSU's] core athletics programs at a NCAA Division I level" appeared in the first sentence of the first item in the list of his duties specified in his contract.

Putting athletics on a par with academics and thus before the needs of our students is disgraceful and a gross strategic blunder! It continues the misplaced priorities that have characterized WSU spending in recent years and, along with gross mismanagement, led to the present fiscal crisis.

Under normal circumstances, it would be rational to give intercollegiate athletics a realistic budget, in line with the overspending that annually has occurred. But, in this fiscal crisis, it is inexplicable—even absurd. Spending on intercollegiate athletics has typically totaled about $10 million per year; in contrast, ticket sales have generated about $300 thousand per year. Even if one includes donations and other sources, the revenue generated by athletics has been about $2 million per year—most of which is offset by the subsidies that the university must provide to the Nutter Center because athletic events generate such little revenue.

There is no evidence that intercollegiate athletics is of much interest to most of our students. After all, through their fees, they pay for two "free" tickets to each basketball game, but student attendance is chronically and woefully low. Likewise, all the empty seats at athletic events and the minuscule revenue generated by athletics demonstrate that there is little community support for our teams either.

Students come to Wright State looking for a quality education at an affordable price so that they can have rewarding careers rather than McJobs. Taxpayers expect and need the research of our faculty and students to benefit our communities and foster economic development. None of these objectives are advanced by increasing spending on intercollegiate athletics.

In closing, then, we call upon you to totally eliminate the increase budgeted for intercollegiate athletics. Instead, we propose that this $1.6 million be devoted to scholarships. That change in the proposed budget would help to stabilize enrollments and to restore our badly tarnished reputation in the community.

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http://www.daytondailynews.com/news/former-administrator-testifies-lawsuit-against-wright-state/AQFORJbQGVZ65Ygex7E5jO/

Former administrator testifies in lawsuit against Wright State
Monday, May 22, 2017 News

Former Wright State University administrator Ryan Fendley testified today in his lawsuit against the school seeking $249,000 in back pay and benefits he claims he is owed after his termination amid an ongoing federal investigation.

Fendley's attorney, Theodore Copetas, opened the hearing in the Ohio Court of Claims in Columbus admitting the university had every right to terminate him, but university policy required nine months paid notice.

WSU attorneys argued former president David Hopkins, who was sitting at the defense table, was lead to believe Fendley was about to be indicted for allegedly violating federal immigration law in the university's use of the H-1B visa program.

Fendley countered that.

"Did you ever violate any laws in connection with your employment with Wright State?" Copetas asked him.

"No," Fendley responded, answering the same to whether he ever violated any rules or regulations.

Fendley also said the damages he was seeking would never replace all he lost when the university fired him.

"My reputation is in tatters in the community," he said, his voice cracking. "And it's been almost two years now and I haven't been able to get a job."

 

http://www.daytondailynews.com/news/wright-state-consultant-sued-for-canceled-debate-hotel-rooms/OdBEVV7kkwMdsKOJzyGMFI/
UD Marriott says it's owed money for canceled WSU debate rooms

Fallout from Wright State University's lost presidential debate is surfacing again as a local hotel seeks at least $170,000 in damages for canceled rooms.

Attorneys representing Concord Hospitality Enterprises Co., the management company that runs and is partial owner of the Marriott at the University of Dayton, filed a lawsuit today against Wright State in Greene County Common Pleas Court.

 

 

http://www.daytondailynews.com/news/recently-announced-layoffs-cuts-won-enough-wsu/O4U3eiJ6n5YahIif9dcfAI/

Recently announced layoffs, cuts won't be enough at WSU
Max Filby; Staff Writer ON Monday, May 29, 2017 News

Wright State University's $30 million in proposed budget cuts will not be enough to stabilize the school's future finances if a new revenue source is not found or enrollment does not grow.

Wright State will almost certainly be placed on state fiscal watch by 2019 and to be removed from it, WSU must add around $45 million to its reserve fund over the next three years, school and state officials both said.

There are just a few ways that money could be generated, the most obvious being even more cuts and layoffs.

RELATED: Wright State hits its 'low point' with announcement of 71 layoffs

Wright State announced on May 19 that it will likely lay off 71 employees and eliminate 107 already vacant positions, as part of a 2018 budget proposal. Trustees are expected to vote on a finalized budget on June 8 and layoff notices could go out the week of June 12.

While future layoffs and cuts are already being called last resort, more could be made in the coming years, said Doug Fecher, chairman of the WSU board's finance committee.

"They'd almost have to be made," Fecher said. "That's what the community needs to understand. If revenue doesn't come in (as projected) we will have to cut."

Nothing is "off the table" including taking WSU athletics back to a Division II status, though no serious discussions on that topic have occurred yet, Fecher said.

RELATED: WSU interim president: 'Our financial picture is grim'

To minimize future cuts and layoffs, the university could consider selling off some of its assets and operations, Fecher said. Last year, WSU leaders discussed outsourcing the college's parking operation and in October trustees sold 11 unused lots in Yellow Springs for $350,000.

Tuition is WSU's biggest single source of revenue but enrollment has dropped by 1.2 percent this spring and it is expected to decline again next year. To combat that trend, an enrollment and retention task force is being formed, said Provost Tom Sudkamp.

"Enrollment is our best weapon," said Jeff Ulliman, WSU's vice president of business and finance. "We've all got to do everything we can to bring students to this university and to keep students at this university."

Wright State is expected to end this year with around $29 million in reserves, about $2 million more than more than what was originally expected, officials have said. It's a sign that the austerity measures WSU has taken, such as axing catering and overnight travel, are working, Fecher said.

"We're just going to have to be hyper-vigilant," Fecher said.

RELATED: UD Marriott says it's owed money for canceled WSU debate rooms

Boosting reserves by $45 million would allow the university to swiftly enter and exit fiscal watch in the three years required by the state. But, getting to that point will be challenging, said Jim Bennett, vice chancellor of finance at the Ohio Department of Higher education

"It takes commitment and discipline and acknowledgement that this is going to be a multi-year (effort)," Bennett said.

To completely avoid fiscal watch, Wright State would have needed to add another $25 million to its reserve funds in 2018, Ulliman told trustees during the May 19 layoff announcement.

The state measures every public college's fiscal health with something called a "Senate Bill 6 score," an annual rating of 0 to 5. Any school that falls below a 1.75 two years in a row is put on notice.

Ulliman told trustees that he fully expects WSU to fall below that threshold in fiscal years 2018 and 2019. The level of reserves a university has are the biggest factor in gauging a "Senate Bill 6 score," both WSU and state officials said.

Once on fiscal watch, WSU will have three years to recoup its finances and boost its score back to a 2.4 for at least a year. If the school doesn't increase its score, the state could take over by appointing a "conservator" to oversee budget remediation.

The university has the option of going even one step further by declaring "financial exigency."

In doing so, Wright State would be granted the authority to issue budget cuts and lay off virtually anyone, officials said. But, by declaring "exigency," WSU would also concede that it is risk of closing.

Despite the university's struggles, Fecher said said it won't come to that because Wright State won't come close to running out of money.

"It hasn't even been discussed," Fecher said. "I don't think that's a possibility."

 

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