Following the successful completion of the university's $1.5 billion capital campaign, the division of Alumni Affairs and Development is undergoing a reorganization.
The division employs 275 staff members, many of whom are located in the colleges and academic units across the university. Under the reorganization, which seeks to provide a more streamlined organizational structure that can effectively meet the university's future development and alumni needs, approximately 46 positions will be eliminated. Currently, more than half of those positions are vacant. Staff in the division had increased during the course of the capital campaign.
The reorganization, which is still in the planning stages, also will include a budget reduction of $2.1 million for the division.
"Our current structure has served us well," Inge T. Reichenbach, vice president for alumni affairs and development, said. "But we now have the opportunity to make some changes that will enable us to meet the university's needs for private support and alumni involvement for the next decade."
Over the past year, staff as well as two trustee ad hoc committees have been developing recommendations for post-campaign fund raising. When implemented, the new organization will position the division to better meet Cornell's needs and fund-raising priorities, Reichenbach said.
"We knew when we went into the campaign that we would need to reduce some of our resources at the end," Reichenbach said. "Anticipating a reduction in our resources, we didn't fill vacant positions for
the last year. We wanted to minimize the impact of the budget reduction on people as much as possible. "
In order to provide all members of the division with the same opportunities, the division is asking every staff member to apply for one or more of the remaining positions.
"This approach will provide career opportunities for the staff of the division that we wouldn't be able to offer otherwise," Reichenbach said. "Budget reductions are never easy to implement. Opening up the remaining positions to all staff members seemed most equitable and fair."
The division has scheduled a series of meetings to get staff input and to involve all interested staff in finalizing the reorganization plans. The reorganization is scheduled to be completed by June 30.