At Issue
Budget cuts put strain on MSU’s APA unit
The stress and strain of substantial
budget cuts weigh heavily on the
1,700 members of the Michigan State
University Administrative Professionals
Association whose work keeps the East
Lansing campus functioning smoothly.
“We’re highly stressed and woefully understaffed,” said MEA Board member Leo Sell, president of the MSU APA.
The unit covers a wide range of jobs critical to quality learning at MSU, from counselors and engineers to data resource analysts and computer technicians.
“We’ve not had many layoffs, but when people leave, they’re not replaced, and our members are picking up the workload,” Sell said. “Our members receive some overtime, but we’re encouraged to do our jobs, including the additional work, within the normal work week.
“Management won’t set priorities of what needs to be completed first. Their philosophy is do it all, including the extra, and avoid overtime.”
Sell said the MSU APA would have an additional 200 members “if we had the funding we should have. If MSU is to maintain its mission of delivering quality and service to students, we need higher levels of funding.”