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UPDATED: Dec. 16, 2021 at 1:18 p.m.

Syracuse University’s University Senate passed a motion calling for SU’s administration to halt the implementation of reduced retirement contributions on Wednesday.

The new policy will reduce the automatic contributions from the university to the Teachers’ Insurance and Annuity Association – College Retirement Equities Fund for faculty and staff hired after Jan. 1, 2022. The fund provides money for employees to have for retirement.

Matt Huber, a senator and an associate professor in the department of geography and the environment at SU, proposed the motion alongside a petition opposing the university’s reduction signed by 387 members of SU faculty and staff as of Wednesday evening.

The university automatically contributes an amount equal to 10% of an employee’s salary to the TIAA-CRE. The new policy, the petition reads, would decrease the university’s automatic contribution to 5% of an employee’s salary. Employees could then contribute up to 5% from their salary, and the university would additionally match this amount.

The petition said that if the policy was left as is, new faculty and staff would have to contribute 5% of their salary to receive the same retirement contribution benefits as those hired before them.

Some senators said that such a policy would impose financial difficulty on SU employees, especially part-time workers. Pam Peter, the assistant dean of SU’s Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs, said that some lower-paid staff at the university may struggle to come up with the 5% because of personal circumstances.

“I appreciate and understand what the university is trying to do (with the matching contributions) because no one really wants to be in a position to retire and not have something to rely on,” Peter said. “But, at the same time, if you know you’re an hourly-paid employee who’s not making much more than minimum wage, you may not have the extra 5%.”

Some senators said that this was the wrong time for the university to implement such a measure.

“Earlier today, there was a rollout announcement about benefits that reiterated what is about to happen,” said Samuel Gorovitz, a philosophy professor at SU. “Now, when we’re dealing with COVID and exams and Cornell shutting down, is a time when we are least likely to be able to do anything to interrupt this ill-conceived juggernaut.”

Cornell University announced on Tuesday a shut down of its campus and moved all final exams online after reaching nearly 470 active COVID-19 cases. The university reported 1,135 new positive cases among students in the past week as of Wednesday.

At the meeting, Chancellor Kent Syverud said that, while SU has seen an uptick in cases in recent weeks, the total number of cases is less than 10% than that of Cornell.

Syverud said the university plans to maintain its current schedule for the spring semester, which involves reopening on Jan. 15. But the situation could evolve with a wave of the omicron variant likely on the way, he said.

Syverud also said the vaccine mandates and booster shot requirements, announced on Dec. 6, would remain in place. Under the requirements, all students, faculty and staff must receive their COVID-19 booster shot by the beginning of the spring semester, barring medical or religious exemptions. Students are also required to get tested upon arrival to campus regardless of vaccination status.

“We’re just going to have to watch this by day because we’ve seen it in campuses not that far from us that the situation can flip fairly quickly,” Syverud said. “We’re ready to pivot if we have to.”

Published on December 16, 2021 at 1:10 pm

Contact Richard: rcperrin@syr.edu | @richardperrins2