Dear President Casteen:

I would first like to thank you for putting out your email on the budget crisis in our state and at the University. I am sure the classified staff appreciates the information. I have always believed that UVA is a fiscally well-managed and sound institution. I believe it is a good idea to go ahead and take the steps needed now rather than later.

What I was sorry to see that you didn't address the dire circumstances the classified staff is in at UVA. The largest workforce at UVA is the classified staff, 10,000 people. Hard working, loyal, bright people with families and responsibilities - with no chance of any type of raise for years. In the meanDear President Casteen:

I would first like to thank you for putting out your email on the budget crisis in our state and at the University. I am sure the classified staff appreciates the information. I have always believed that UVA is a fiscally well-managed and sound institution. I believe it is a good idea to go ahead and take the steps needed now rather than later.

What I was sorry to see that you didn't address the dire circumstances the classified staff is in at UVA. The largest workforce at UVA is the classified staff, 10,000 people. Hard working, loyal, bright people with families and responsibilities - with no chance of any type of raise for years. In the meantime, everything else is going up, property taxes, rent, food etc. So, in most cases staff will come out with less money this year than last. I ask that UVA not raise healthcare premiums, parking, or prescription rates while this crisis is ongoing. SUUVA feels that UVA should absorb all of these costs until the state is back on its feet and can give raises to classified staff-significant raises.

It is no secret that UVA has just come off of a billion dollar campaign. Staff wonders where that money is, we know for sure that at least part of that billion dollars is unrestricted. People have asked me, why do they need a $128M stadium? Or a new parking garage? Or why are people getting inband adjustments for their Oracle work-people carefully chosen by management -- while most are not? Who, by the way is monitoring these inband adjustments? Making sure they are fair? Why are they raising our parking rates AGAIN? Why aren't spending restrictions being monitored-some departments are, somearen't-especially when it is extremely inconvenient. Or why does the hospital have the money to hire a new marketing director while at the same time "reassigning" classified staff? And at the same time, why does it take 4 weeks to get an MRI at one of the top hospitals in the country? As always, why when there is a monetary crisis is the "savings" always at the low end of the scale instead of the top? An example of this would be the realignments at the hospital and all of the people that were put out of work through the janitorial/housekeeping cuts at Facilities Management? As Governor Warner has said, he believes the cuts should come from all over an institution, not just the most vulnerable and low paid employees. Unfortunately, UVA has not recognized this fact thus far. I have no answers for these questions that I am continually asked.

My biggest question is how can UVA justify well over $4M in faculty raises in 2002? While classified staff got nothing but a very small bonus, (which the faculty also got) faculty, both teaching and administrative, are getting $98K, $50K-to cite a few- a YEAR in raises. This is morally unjust. I see no way the administration can justify this to classified staff. I believe that along with the hiring freeze, there should be a SALARY freeze for faculty-for the same amount of years that staff will not get a raise. It will be a struggle for some classified staff to even feed their families; I think that all faculty should feel the impact as much as staff is. I mean, it's only fair isn't it? I understand that teaching faculty must be compensated sometimes or else they will seek employment elsewhere - that should be the exception and not the norm.

While classified staff is being forced to double up on their workloads, for no more money, for no recognition, no pats on the back, they are also being told all over Grounds by managers, deans, directors, dept. heads "if you don't like it you can leave". I ask what kind of management technique is THIS? Why should staff have to deal with this attitude? The answer is, they don't have to deal withit. And they won't. It is deplorable that any manager should tell their employees to leave - especially when they can't even hire anyone to replace them. I am sure this didn't come from your office or Mr. Sandridge's. As you might imagine, morale is at an all time low.

These are the general issues that I felt was necessary to bring up in response to your email. I hope you will take them in the spirit they were given-my only concern is the classified staff at UVA. Their well-being, their jobs, their morale, their families, their future.

Cordially,

Jan Cornell, President, Staff Union at the University of Virginia (electronic mail, October 4, 2002)