As discussed during the latest Campus Conversation, West Virginia University currently is facing a structural budget challenge.
We have heard from staff and faculty across the WVU System sharing creative approaches to help identify areas where expense reductions can occur.
A voluntary Work-Time Reduction Program, designed with input from our campus community, provides staff and faculty two options to remain active WVU employees while reducing their time and effort at work.
- Reduce Work Hours or Effort* – through this option, staff and faculty can remain actively employed at the University while decreasing their weekly work schedule by a specified number of hours (staff) or their overall effort (faculty) with a corresponding reduction in pay.
- Reduce Appointment Length – through this option, staff and faculty can remain actively employed at WVU while reducing their work appointment length to fewer months out of the year with a corresponding reduction in pay. With either option, the work-time reduction can be for a specific period or on an ongoing basis.
The program is open to staff and faculty (both benefits-eligible and non-benefits-eligible) employed by WVU or WVU Research Corp. as of April 1, 2023.
Note: The Work-Time Reduction Program is not open to WVU State employees who participate in the State Teachers Retirement System.
This program may be ideal for those who are seeking greater work-life balance, those who are looking for the freedom and flexibility to travel, volunteer or pursue other hobbies or interests and those who are transitioning toward retirement.
The program also will provide cost savings for each college, division or unit and support their efforts to reach budget reduction targets while lessening the potential impacts to other staff and faculty members within each area.
To assist in assessing potential cost savings for Fiscal Year 2024, staff and faculty who are interested in the program must initiate the process by completing an expression of interest form between now and Friday, April 28, at 5 p.m. These options have been available prior to this announcement and will continue to be beyond the expression-of-interest period, as well.
Those who are interested do not need to consult with their supervisors prior to expressing interest in the program. Supervisors will be engaged once the interest period closes as part of an operational and financial assessment with the vice presidents and the Provost Office for each college, division or unit.
Each expression of interest will be reviewed by the staff or faculty member’s college, division or unit and approved or denied based on the immediate and long-term needs within each area and the potential impact on the work and services provided. Final decisions will be made by the vice president of the unit or the Provost Office.
Staff and faculty who are approved to participate in the program will be notified by Friday, May 26, and the effective date for the work-time reduction can be as soon as Sunday, June 4.
Visit the Talent and Culture website for more information and to complete an expression of interest form.
Staff should contact WVU Shared Services at 304-293-6006 or SharedServices@mail.wvu.edu with any questions. Staff also may contact their HR Partner. Faculty should contact the Provost Office at provost@mail.wvu.edu with any questions.
* “Effort” relates to a faculty member’s allocation of duties and establishes a definition of full-time work for traditional faculty members at all WVU campuses. Visit go.wvu.edu/faculty-effort for more information.