A Message From President Johnson | President's Update | Aug. 3, 2020

Dear Faculty and Staff,

As many of you begin to return to campus, I want to offer my sincerest welcome and express my gratitude for your dedication to John Carroll University. Campus as we know it looks different today, and for the foreseeable future, as we wear masks, practice physical distancing, and deliver our academic courses in a hybrid model. What remains certain is that our faculty and staff have gone above and beyond to continue delivering the John Carroll University education and experience that our students expect and deserve. 

In my messages dating back to March, I have shared information with you about the impact of the pandemic on the University and on our financial situation. In May, we announced a series of proactive steps needed to significantly reduce our cost structure and address the challenges presented by COVID-19. I wanted to update you on the progress of our efforts, which have been ongoing throughout the summer with a focus on temporary and permanent cost-containment measures.

Now that we have more clarity around the expected financial impact of voluntary staff and faculty retirements and voluntary separations, we have started moving forward with other necessary elements of the cost-reduction program, including the elimination of some staff positions. The information about position eliminations has been shared with the affected individuals. We will support them in their transition from the University, offering them a severance package and outplacement services.  

Additionally, John Carroll, along with many other Division III universities facing the loss of athletics through the end of 2020 because of the pandemic, made the decision to furlough a number of athletic staff through approximately mid-October. This difficult, but necessary, decision is in response to the Ohio Athletic Conference’s July 24th decision to postpone all NCAA intercollegiate athletic competition through December 31, 2020 due to health concerns relating to the pandemic, as explained in the July 25th communication to the University community. We will continue to explore opportunities for our student athletes to train and practice as a team in compliance with NCAA criteria and guided by the recommendations of our health professionals.

These necessary staff reductions and furloughs are part of a larger, multi-dimensional plan designed to help ensure the long-term financial health of the University. We recognize that we first must make a number of difficult decisions to put the University on a firm financial foundation as we pursue growth initiatives arising from the strategic plan.  

We will have more to share regarding the extent of our progress later this month after the Board of Directors approves the budget for the 2020-2021 academic year. These budgetary measures, accelerated because of COVID-19, must be done to help right-size the University’s cost structure and position us to invest in our future while remaining focused on the academic mission and service to students.

Please know that we continually monitor the ever-evolving COVID-19 situation and will adjust our cost-reduction plan, as necessary, to ensure that the University emerges as a stronger institution.

I want to be very clear that we recognize the incredible sacrifice that everyone in the university community continues to make during the pandemic and the significant impact that these additional cost-containment measures will have on people’s lives. As we continue to care for the important work of our University, our Jesuit mission calls on us to care for the whole person. By taking a multi-dimensional and shared approach to these actions, we seek to proceed in the most caring and compassionate way possible. 

As we face these challenging and unprecedented circumstances together, we are determined to move forward with these goals in mind: protecting the health, safety, and well-being of the John Carroll community, caring for people with compassion, and keeping a clear focus on the University’s highest priorities – our academic mission and student success.

Yours,

Michael