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• “The plan that we have put forward is a voluntary plan, and a way in which the university can recognize, in a positive way, the contributions of its staff and faculty, and allow them to leave the university in a manner that’s consistent with other objectives in their life.”

  Scott Nostaja

  Vice President for Human Resources

By SUE WUETCHER

Published: April 26, 2010

UB is offering a one-time incentive to faculty and staff to leave their positions at the university in an effort to manage ongoing state budget reductions.

The Voluntary Separation Incentive Program will be available to full-time employees at least 55 years of age, subject to approval of their supervising dean or vice president. Faculty must have a minimum of 25 years of service to the university; staff must have at least 15 years of state, UBF or Research Foundation (RF) service at UB. RF employees who are compensated from the direct costs of an externally sponsored project are not eligible for the incentive.

Participating staff would receive a lump sum payment of 50 percent of their annual base salary as of their date of separation, and would have to leave the university between May 15 and July 31.

Participating faculty members would take Title F leave at full pay for one semester, beginning no later than the fall 2011 semester, then receive a lump sum payment of 50 percent of their salary immediately following their Title F leave.

Staff members working under the United University Professions contract and M/C professional employees may take Title F leave at full salary for six months instead of the 50 percent lump sum payment.

Title F is a provision of the UUP contract that allows members to take certain kinds of leave with full pay.

Time spent working for another SUNY or state agency does not count toward years of service for the UB incentive. Employees may take both the UB incentive and the state’s 55/25 retirement incentive, if eligible.

Employees interested in participating in the program must file an official declaration of interest by June 1; an irrevocable declaration of intent to separate must be filed by June 30.

Scott Nostaja, vice president for human resources and chief of staff to President John B. Simpson, notes that for the past two years the university “has been as thoughtful and strategic as possible to offset the significant reductions in state funding.”

“While we have done a number of different things, both institutionally and at the department level, the continuation of budget cuts requires us to continue to be progressive and strategic in dealing with reductions in the budget,” Nostaja says. “The plan that we have put forward is a voluntary plan, and a way in which the university can recognize, in a positive way, the contributions of its staff and faculty, and allow them to leave the university in a manner that’s consistent with other objectives in their life.”

For the university, “it’s another tool to reduce costs,” he says.

He calls the separation program “a relatively generous package” and expects a couple hundred employees to express an interest in participating.

Nostaja says the university wants retiring faculty to “stay engaged with the university” and continue to contribute to their schools and departments post-retirement. Deans are being asked to meet with individual faculty members who are interested in retiring to discuss their continued affiliation with the university.

UB is not unique in offering a separation program, Nostaja says, pointing out that Binghamton and Stony Brook universities have offered similar programs, and many other universities across the country are considering or have implemented versions of a retirement or separation plan.

The UB plan was developed over the past two months in consultation with the deans, vice presidents, faculty and staff leadership, the unions and the Financial Management Advisory Committee, a university-wide group charged with advising UB’s senior leadership on how to deal with the state budget cuts, Nostaja adds.

Full details of the program are available at the University Human Resources Web site. The required declaration of interest form is available on the Web site.

Those with questions about the program, or seeking additional advice or assistance in determining their potential participation in the program should contact the appropriate benefits advisor: Elizabeth Dundon, manager, State Benefits Administration (645-4472, dundon@buffalo.edu), Anne Bielinski, state personnel associate (645-4492, abielin@buffalo.edu), Rosemary Tripi, Research Foundation benefits manager (645-4482, tripi@buffalo.edu) or Josephine Zenosky, UBF benefits manager (645-8735, zenosky@buffalo.edu).