For a second time, members of Fairfield University’s staff have been given a double dose of bad news: they will lose their job at the University and they are one of the few considered non-essential. Back in 2009, Fairfield announced they would be making 31 layoffs as a way to reduce the budget by 5 percent. Now in the past week, Fairfield University has decided again to cut a number of different staff members in an attempt to remedy the $4.3 million budget gap this fiscal year. “Whenever anybody faces a budget gap… there are two ways of dealing with it: increase your revenues, or try to decrease your expense,” said Fr. Von Arx in the past Mirror article Fairfield Facing $4.3 Million Budget Gap. The University took this advice and decreased their financial expenses through staff positions. Although no one will confirm the exact number of jobs that were cut, different staff members from the Quick Center for the Arts, the Photography Department and the Print Shop were affected. Some of the targeted employees have been offered early retirement options and have several weeks to decide. Pending these decision no official final tally of individuals cut from the University has been announced.
