Students, faculty grapple with aftermath of layoffs

By Grace Bertrand

Coming back to campus after a winter break filled with what senior political science major Heather Schaab called “uncertainty,” students and faculty alike are experiencing a shift in campus morale as they adjust and adapt to the missing presence of 30 full-time faculty members. 

While the faculty layoffs did not come unexpectedly over the holiday break, since it was announced as part of the March to Sustainability Plan on Nov. 10, the shock and sadness of which professors were laid off still hit students just the same, according to Schaab. 

“Students have definitely felt more stressed out about their future here … and it’s realistic to be stressed out. Everyone is feeling troubled,” Schaab said. 

Schaab also serves as the equity and inclusion committee chair for Student Government Association and added that SGA is working to create an environment where students can talk about the added anxiety they might be feeling. 

“I know that everyone is trying hard to alleviate that stress toward students and students can come to [SGA] with any concerns and we will happily address it,” she said. 

Faculty ‘step in’ for students’ sake

While Schaab had not lost any current professors or advisers in the layoffs, she noted how even students who were not directly impacted “are very aware” of the added workload professors will take on from their former colleagues.  

While faculty like Justin Burton, a music professor, understand the stress that may come from the added work that is being demanded of them, he also understands just as much how crucial it is for the work to get done. 

“I can be — and am — angry about the unfairness of the layoffs and the unfairness of the adjunct job market, and at the same time, I can recognize that it will be important for us, as faculty, to support our influx of adjunct colleagues as fully as possible this spring, for their benefit and the students’, too,” Burton said. “This will be some of the extra labor that faculty and staff have to pick up in the coming weeks, and my hope is that we’re up to that task.” 

As Quinn Cunningham, an associate professor of management, sees it, the faculty morale “has been low for the past few years, and the layoffs at the end of December were especially painful.” 

She added that the layoffs have been an especially hot topic for faculty who came back for the spring semester, saying “Most discussions reflect a sense of heartbreak and loss, as well as frustration that Rider reached this point after years of poor decisions by the prior administration. At the same time, while no one wanted layoffs to happen, there seems to be some understanding among faculty that these actions were taken in an effort to help the university survive.” 

The Norm Brodsky College of Business lost six full-time faculty members from the layoffs, which Cunningham noted is causing professors to take on additional advising responsibilities. 

“Many faculty are feeling the added strain of increased workloads combined with reduced compensation, including significant salary cuts and the elimination of tuition remission that some relied on or planned for in the future,” Cunningham said. “Faculty at Rider care deeply about their students and are committed to providing a high-quality educational experience, so people are doing their best to step in where needed. Still, balancing these increased demands with teaching, advising and personal responsibilities has been challenging.”

Some professors’ roles are not as replaceable, however, as senior graphic design major Kalvin Nue puts it. 

Nue experienced feelings like “losing a loved one” when he first heard Jessi Oliano, a former graphic design professor, was laid off, noting that “she was family to me.”

He said, “I viewed her as a second mother to me as she’s been nothing but kind, compassionate and supportive to me and many other students of hers. She’s like the perfect professor here so it’s such a shame and a stab to the heart to learn that she’s been laid off for no reason other than just to ‘save money.’” 

Moving forward 

Similar to Schaab, Nue has also heard his peers “talking nonstop” about what the layoffs will mean for certain classes and departments. 

“People are angry, confused and hurt, especially students who lost professors they were close to or depended on for guidance,” Nue said. 

While things may start to simmer down in the near future, Nue explained that in the long- term the loss of mentors could affect networking opportunities, letters of recommendation and students’ passion for their fields of study. 

“Many students rely on certain professors not just for classes, but for advice, encouragement and career guidance. Without that support system, students may feel disconnected, less confident and more likely to struggle or disengage,” he said. 

Nue also empathized with the professors that are being forced to take on extra workload, adding “Professors who are still here are grieving the loss of 

their colleagues while also being expected to take on more work. That stress doesn’t just stay behind the scenes, it affects the classroom experience. Even the most dedicated professors can only do so much, and students may notice less availability, more pressure and a general sense of burnout.” 

Cunningham’s wish, however, is that “students will feel as little impact as possible.” She added, “While there is a great deal of stress and uncertainty, there is also a shared desire to see Rider emerge from this period and remain a strong institution for our students.”

As students and faculty alike look to move forward without the people who have been a part of their academic and professional careers for years, Schaab’s hope is that the campus can come together to overcome the abrupt changes.  

She said, “It’s important that students know they’re not alone and there is a whole community of us going through every step together.”