Middlebury College Faces Budget Cuts, Sparking Student and Faculty Protest
Middlebury College is currently grappling with budget adjustments, which have led to significant discontent among faculty, staff, and students. Proposed measures to address a reported $14.1 million deficit have ignited protests and raised concerns about the institution's future.
Proposed Budget Cuts and Their Impact
To mitigate the financial shortfall, Middlebury College has proposed several measures. These include offering early retirement packages to Vermont-based staff, reducing the retirement match from 15% to 11%, and eventually consolidating language schools back onto the main campus from Bennington College. Additionally, uncertainty surrounding health care costs looms, with potential changes expected to be implemented in the fall.
These proposed cuts have drawn criticism from faculty members who fear the impact on their financial security and overall compensation. Peter Matthews, an economics professor at Middlebury College, estimates that the 4% reduction in the retirement match could result in a loss of $100,000 to $250,000 by the time faculty and staff retire. This reduction is particularly disheartening after a salary freeze during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
Terry Simpkins, director of Discovery & Access Services for the college’s library, echoed these concerns, stating that the administration's response to budget problems consistently falls on the backs of the staff.
Faculty, Staff, and Student Protest
In response to the proposed cuts, approximately 250 faculty, staff, and students staged a walkout and gathered on the Middlebury College campus green on Thursday, May 8, to voice their opposition. The protesters expressed frustration and concern over the potential impact of the cuts on the college community.
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David Miranda-Hardy, a faculty member, emphasized that "Our working conditions are your learning experience," highlighting the interconnectedness of faculty and staff well-being with the quality of education at Middlebury College.
Jason Mittell, professor of Film & Media Culture and chair of the Faculty Council, said not only is the retirement match reduction a financial loss, but it comes after Middlebury College froze salaries for the first year of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020.
Concerns Over Increased Student Enrollment
Another point of contention is the college's plan to maintain an increased student body of 2,650, up from the pre-pandemic norm of 2,500. Faculty members worry that this increase in enrollment will lead to heavier workloads without additional compensation or support. Laurie Essig, a professor at Middlebury College, noted that each student represents 8-10 hours of labor per semester, meaning that adding extra students to a class significantly increases the workload for professors.
Faculty Council Chair Jason Mittell echoed the faculty motion against the college’s plan to increase their enrollment target from the historical 2,500 to 2,650. Until this announcement, Faculty Council had been told as recently as February that the college intended to return from over enrollment to its former numbers.
The Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey
Some faculty members attribute the budget deficit to the financial strain caused by the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey (MIIS), which Middlebury College acquired over a decade ago. They argue that the graduate school in California has not been financially sustainable and is draining resources from the Vermont campus.
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Multiple speakers referenced the graduate school at Monterey in their speeches, pointing to losses Middlebury College has experienced since it acquired MIIS more than a decade ago.
Motion: We call on the Board and administration to immediately begin a comprehensive restructuring of the Institute with the goal of closing the California campus within three years.
College's Response
Middlebury College released a statement acknowledging the concerns of the community and emphasizing its commitment to open communication. The college stated that it values the perspectives of all faculty, staff, and students and is actively engaged in conversations with them.
"We value the perspectives of all of our faculty, staff, and students and are actively engaged in conversations with our constituents across Middlebury," the college wrote.
Administrators in the letter offered some context on the deficit and progress that’s been made with the budget gap. Like many employers, the college matches employee contributions into the retirement savings up to a certain level. Middlebury College is the largest employer in Addison County.
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Faculty Motions and Demands
The faculty has put forward several motions demanding that the administration rescind the proposed compensation cuts and enrollment increase. They are calling for collaboration with elected committees to find solutions that address the underlying budgetary issues without compromising employee benefits or the quality of the student experience.
Motion: We, the Middlebury Faculty, demand that Middlebury’s trustees and administrators rescind the recently announced compensation cuts and enrollment increase. Instead, we call on them to collaborate with our elected committees to effectively address the causes of the deficit without betraying commitments to employees or reducing the quality of the student experience.
A Watershed Moment
Twelve senior members of the Middlebury College Economics Department have started a petition to preserve faculty and staff benefits. They describe this as a "watershed moment" in the college's history, as it faces a major crisis of morale at a time when higher education is facing external threats.
“This is a watershed moment in the college’s history, as it now faces a major crisis of morale of its own doing at the same time that we face external threats to higher education,” they wrote.
Concerns About Trust and Transparency
Faculty and staff members have expressed concerns about a lack of transparency and shared governance in the decision-making process. They feel that the administration has not adequately consulted with them before implementing these significant changes.
“Decisions are made in secret and presented to staff as a fait accompli. No input from us is sought. No adjustments considered, no delays entertained,” Simpkins told the crowd.
Laurie Essig, a professor of gender, sexuality and feminist studies and a leader of the Middlebury chapter of the Association of University Professors, said Middlebury College’s deficit is a “self-imposed crisis,” that is separate from the federal funding threats to higher education happening nationally.
Looking Ahead
The situation at Middlebury College remains fluid, with ongoing discussions and negotiations between the administration, faculty, staff, and students. The outcome of these discussions will have a significant impact on the college's future and its ability to maintain its commitment to its educational mission and its employees.
Faculty we spoke to say they want to see the administration go back to the drawing board, especially amid uncertainty about higher education funding from the federal government.
“I think there are other solutions out there. I think if we come together as a community, we can find those solutions and find solutions that make us a better institution, not a worse one,” Matthew said.
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