SECRETARY SHUFFLE

A&,S departments combine offices, save money

by David Baugher

The reorganization of offices in the College of Arts and Sciences, prompted by the Chancellor's request for a budget reallocation, is expected to be completed by the time classes begin today.

The reorganization was suggested last spring in as effort to combine departmental offices and eliminate secretarial staff inefficiencies.

"Some secretarial services for the departments have been merged," Martin Sage, interim dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, said.

Departmental administrative structures will remain separate.

Sage said that five members of the secretarial staff will be laid off due to the change, but some have already been hired elsewhere on campus.

The rest will be given preferential treatment when new positions become available.

Another secretary decided to take retirment.

Sage said the reorganization was also designed as a response to student complaints about inadequate office hours in one-person offices.

"From a student point of view, it should be an improvement," he said.

"If a department has an office which has only one person in it and ther person was sick or the person went to lunch or the person went to the bathroom, the office was closed."

Sage also said that while faculty may have "a little less support," the increased availability of computers will make up for reductions in the typing pool.