§ 155.16. Teaching faculty positions.
(a) The retrenchment of teaching faculty positions shall be considered sequentially in accordance with the sub-steps of this regulation, recognizing, however, that each decision made at each step is a tentative one that may be reconsidered at any stage prior to the preparation of the final, proposed college plan. The final decisions with regard to the positions to be abolished and the specific employes to be terminated shall be made by the president who shall give careful consideration to the advice and recommendations made through meet and discuss conferences and other conferences during retrenchment planning. The impacts of retrenchment upon the academic status of students shall be reduced to the smallest levels possible.
(b) In considering retrenchment of teaching positions, to the greatest extent feasible the present comprehensive nature of the college shall be preserved; that is, a full spectrum of the arts, sciences, and humanities shall be available to the level of general education supportive of undergraduate degree programs.
(c) Two priority considerations, however, in the order stated here, shall have precedent value in the final establishment of the academic offerings available subsequent to retrenchment;
(1) First priority consideration. Major new missions adopted by resolution of Board of State College and University Directors (January, 1975) shall be protected. Those disciplines which directly support new mission programs are to be in a favored class. To be ‘‘favored’’ or to be ‘‘protected’’ means either to escape reductions or to be reduced at a lower rate than programs not so protected.
(2) Second priority consideration. Commitments to academic programs, student services, and affirmative action employment made under the Pennsylvania Department of Education Revised Plan for Equal Opportunity in the State Colleges and University (Pennsylvania Desegregation Plan) shall be honored.
(d) The relative size of departments and enrollments shall be considered, and every effort shall be made to maintain the size of departments at a level that will preserve the integrity of academic programs and sub-specialities. In general, departments with ten or more positions are best able to reorganize their resources to maintain academic programs after a reduction in the number of their positions, and, therefore, they should be reduced more readily than smaller departments. Departments with four or fewer positions should be reduced with caution if their programs are to be maintained.
(1) ‘‘Academic balance’’ in a field of study shall be maintained after retrenchment. (For example, retrenchment of history positions should not result in a department having offerings only in American history).
(2) The extent to which enrollments for a particular program make the program self-supporting shall be positively considered in retrenchment planning.
(3) To retain a subject matter in a viable program subsequent to retrenchment, the ‘‘critical mass’’ course needs of that subject matter shall be considered in determining the reduction of positions.
(e) Two colleges shall consider the concept of complementarity of academic programs within a given geographic area. A specialization offered only at one college in an area might be protected during retrenchment, while duplicate offerings in the colleges of a region might result in a higher rate of position retrenchment at one college than another. Complementarity considerations have already taken place within the frameworks of the long-range plans of the colleges, and these shall be used during the three conferences when presidents will meet by geographic area with the Department of Education to prepare specific college-by-college recommendations for the Secretary of Education. The Secretary of Education shall then distribute interpretations of Regulation 6C for use by each college during retrenchment planning.
(f) An entire organizational unit may be dropped by the college if any of the following conditions exist:
(1) It is presently at an insufficient size to adequately serve its basic function.
(2) If that function is not central to the nature of the college.
(3) If it does not make a unique contribution in its own field.
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