Emporia State Layoffs Cause Pittsburg State Staff to Reflect on Future
Faculty and staff at Pittsburg State consider their future relationship due to the termination of Emporia State educators.
- Layoffs at Emporia State University caused waves throughout higher level education in Kansas.
- Pittsburg State educators are confident in their ability to work in harmony with administrators in spite of the possible precedent set.
- What is best for students and higher education is at the forefront of the mindsets of those involved.
Major cuts to programs and the firing of tenured staff at Emporia State University has some wondering whether something similar could be in store for Pittsburg State University.
The Emporia State layoffs come as a result of a COVID policy which gave universities the leeway to make cuts with less oversight.
However, both administrators and teaching staff at Pittsburg State say they’re hopeful and optimistic about their relationship.
“I think they feel better when they know that we’re looking at objective data and we’re making those decisions based on what is good for the whole,” said Dr. Howard Smith, Provost of Pittsburg State University. Neither Smith nor some educators currently believe that Pitt State is on a similar path to Emporia State.
