Alex Palmieri – General Assignment Reporter
Yet another halt for Connecticut State Schools and Universities as a hiring freeze has come into effect for 17 campuses across the state. This is due to the budget falling short and other financial issues that are happening within the state.
The Connecticut State Colleges and Universities system, that has four CSUs, 12 community colleges, along with online Charter Oak College, said it plans to ratify an instant hiring freeze.
The state’s budget is about $220 million in deficit for the fiscal year ending June 30. With this date rapidly approaching, the hiring freeze will come into effect stat. The hiring freeze will cope the mid-year budget cuts to Connecticut State Colleges and Universities so the state can close the budget shortfalls. Students at SCSU are not too thrilled with the situation.
“It will affect all students and a lot of SCSU students,” said Chris Soares, senior English major. “It said but the cuts will get people back to plan and not undercut budgets.”
Soares said Chartwell planned on adding a lot of student workers earlier in the school year. He said he hopes that things can get better soon for students who do in fact need jobs. With the hiring freeze now in effect, Soares said there will not be hiring anytime soon.
“In the case that we do not have a president active for next semester,” said Soares, “I believe Dr. Tracy Tyree’s leadership will be sufficient enough to help Southern to move into the right direction.”
Melissa Tkacs-Soli, sophomore special education major, had similar thoughts to the freeze that is happening across the state. She said it will have a major impact on students across the state. She added that students will have a difficult time to pay for things. She said everyone that is in college without a job will feel financial pressures.
“What will probably happen,” said Tkacs-Soli, “is their student loans will probably just keep piling up. It will be very tough to pay that back later on if the hiring freeze is in effect now.”
Tkacs-Soli said she hopes students can still get jobs, but it will be difficult during this time period. With a bunch of schools affected by the freeze, Tkacs-Soli said all students can do for now is wait and see what happens.
“It just doesn’t seem right that students can’t get jobs because of the budget,” said Tkacs-Soli. “I don’t agree with it, but everyone needs to be patient and wait for this freeze to pass over.”
Rebecca Krieger, junior communications major, said it is difficult enough for students to graduate and find a job and with the hiring freeze happening now, Krieger said it can make life for students a lot tougher.
“All students need money so this will affect all students that can’t get a job,” said Krieger. “A lot of students also have debt coming out of school so for a lot of students it’s just going to add up. It can turn into a huge problem.”
Krieger said even though students are trying to establish individuality in college, some of them are going to have to ask parents and family members for financial support because they cannot get a job for the time being.
“Hopefully everything can go back to normal,” said Krieger. “Everyone has to be optimistic that jobs can open up for everybody sometime in the near future.”
Photo Credit: Staff Photo