Eastern Michigan Athletics
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Eastern Athletics to Enact 'Compensation and Work Share Plan'
5/19/2020 10:54:00 AM | General
Will help the athletics department after a decrease in NCAA distributions due to the COVID-19 pandemic
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) — Eastern Michigan University Vice President/Director of Athletics Scott Wetherbee announced today, May 19, that he along with EMU's coaches and select staff will take voluntary pay reductions or participate in the State of Michigan's Work Share program. The plan went into effect on May 16 and continues through July 31 to help mitigate budget impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The actions will help the athletics department reduce a deficit created by a decrease in expected NCAA distributions this spring after the cancelation of the NCAA winter championships. Other unexpected losses include revenue from camps and other rental events hosted in EMU's athletic facilities.
"I am proud to do my part and proud of our head coaches and staff members that have stepped up to help our department address these unprecedented circumstances," Wetherbee said. "It's the right thing for all of us to do. There are a lot of unknowns ahead of us still as we look forward to competition resuming. Our priority is the welfare and success of our student-athletes and these temporary and voluntary cuts help us align our fiscal reality with our departmental goals."
Wetherbee and head coaches for football (Chris Creighton), men's basketball (Rob Murphy), and women's basketball (Fred Castro) will take a seven-percent salary reduction. University President James Smith and the University's senior leadership team are taking seven-percent pay reductions as well.
Approximately 70 coaches and non-bargained for staff will participate in the Work Share program offered through the Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency (UIA) and have their work hours reduced by 40 percent. Individual employees will not need to file for unemployment benefits as part of this program.
The Work share program is entirely employer-driven. Once the UIA approves an employer's Work Share application, employees are paid unemployment benefits by the UIA in accordance with the details included in the University's application. According to the state, all employees participating in the programs should be automatically eligible to receive the federal $600 weekly CARES Act supplement as well. Use of the Work Share Program allows EMU Athletics to retain skilled employees by reducing work hours while allowing employees to supplement lost wages with unemployment benefits.
The changes are just part of the cost-saving measures that are being used by the department to reduce costs including a spending freeze, pausing all university-sponsored travel, and cutting energy usage in athletic facilities with most employees working from home. The majority of Eastern's Athletics staff continues to work from home while the state's "Stay Home, Stay Safe" directive remains in effect.
EMU is one of many schools nationwide that have announced some sort of pay cut or furloughs to employees.
The fiscal year ends June 30. The department will continue to act aggressively to remain in solid financial standing with more NCAA distribution shortcomings on the horizon and the length and total impact of the pandemic still unknown.
Eastern Athletics and the Mid-American Conference have also implemented additional cost-saving measures for the upcoming 2020-21 academic year. This includes changing scheduling formats, post-season championship formats, and the elimination of post-season championships in select sports. Despite the changes, every student-athlete will still compete for a conference championship and earn an opportunity for participation in NCAA postseason competition.
The actions will help the athletics department reduce a deficit created by a decrease in expected NCAA distributions this spring after the cancelation of the NCAA winter championships. Other unexpected losses include revenue from camps and other rental events hosted in EMU's athletic facilities.
"I am proud to do my part and proud of our head coaches and staff members that have stepped up to help our department address these unprecedented circumstances," Wetherbee said. "It's the right thing for all of us to do. There are a lot of unknowns ahead of us still as we look forward to competition resuming. Our priority is the welfare and success of our student-athletes and these temporary and voluntary cuts help us align our fiscal reality with our departmental goals."
Wetherbee and head coaches for football (Chris Creighton), men's basketball (Rob Murphy), and women's basketball (Fred Castro) will take a seven-percent salary reduction. University President James Smith and the University's senior leadership team are taking seven-percent pay reductions as well.
Approximately 70 coaches and non-bargained for staff will participate in the Work Share program offered through the Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency (UIA) and have their work hours reduced by 40 percent. Individual employees will not need to file for unemployment benefits as part of this program.
The Work share program is entirely employer-driven. Once the UIA approves an employer's Work Share application, employees are paid unemployment benefits by the UIA in accordance with the details included in the University's application. According to the state, all employees participating in the programs should be automatically eligible to receive the federal $600 weekly CARES Act supplement as well. Use of the Work Share Program allows EMU Athletics to retain skilled employees by reducing work hours while allowing employees to supplement lost wages with unemployment benefits.
The changes are just part of the cost-saving measures that are being used by the department to reduce costs including a spending freeze, pausing all university-sponsored travel, and cutting energy usage in athletic facilities with most employees working from home. The majority of Eastern's Athletics staff continues to work from home while the state's "Stay Home, Stay Safe" directive remains in effect.
EMU is one of many schools nationwide that have announced some sort of pay cut or furloughs to employees.
The fiscal year ends June 30. The department will continue to act aggressively to remain in solid financial standing with more NCAA distribution shortcomings on the horizon and the length and total impact of the pandemic still unknown.
Eastern Athletics and the Mid-American Conference have also implemented additional cost-saving measures for the upcoming 2020-21 academic year. This includes changing scheduling formats, post-season championship formats, and the elimination of post-season championships in select sports. Despite the changes, every student-athlete will still compete for a conference championship and earn an opportunity for participation in NCAA postseason competition.
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