Thursday, Aug. 28, 2003

BSC staff suffers major cuts

By Tony W. Cartledge
BR Editor

Twenty-four budgeted staff positions have been eliminated on the Baptist State Convention (BSC) General Board staff following a special meeting of the BSC's Executive Committee on Tuesday, Aug. 26. Nine of the 24 positions were vacant, but 15 current employees lost their jobs in the wake of diminishing church contributions through the convention's cooperative giving plans. The numbers represent 20 percent of all formerly budgeted positions and 12.5 percent of actual employees, according to business services director Ed Wiggs.

Through Aug. 22, convention income was $1.65 million, or more than seven percent below budget expectations, and about 2.64 percent below last year's income. Giving through Plans A, B and C is down from three to six percent. Plan D giving is up 7.6 percent, but it contributes 18 cents on the dollar less to the BSC's undesignated budget than the other plans. Income to the North Carolina Missions Offering, which funds the Baptist Men and WMU programs, is 16 percent less than at this time last year.

The Executive Committee first met to consider the annual budget proposal on Aug. 12. After spending more than two hours in closed session, the committee sent the proposal back to the budget committee for additional reductions before reconvening Aug. 26.

The committee's directive was that staff cuts should best preserve the "mission critical" areas of convention work, Executive Director-treasurer Jim Royston said. The BSC constitution mandates that the convention's primary responsibility is to the churches, he said, so efforts were made to preserve positions that relate most directly to serving the churches.

On Wednesday, Aug. 27 Royston notified employees by e-mail that the Executive Committee had ordered an immediate downsizing of the staff. He and other BSC officials then notified all affected persons that their positions would be eliminated as of Aug. 31. Employees released will receive severance packages based on length of tenure, and all who qualify for retirement will receive full retirement benefits.

The cutbacks impacted nine program staffers, including an executive team leader, and six support staff. Royston expressed regret that the cuts were necessary, and emphasized that reductions were based on positions, not persons or performance.

Nine of the 15 qualified for retirement benefits, and four of them chose to announce their retirements. They are Doug Cole, executive director of the Council on Christian Life and Public Affairs; Bill Boatwright, communications director; Becky Stewart, secretary to the executive director-treasurer; and Ted Purcell, a long-time campus minister who was currently serving part time at Duke University.

The Strategic Initiatives and Planning team was dismantled, with the positions held by executive team leader Tom Jenkins and secretary Cynthia Howell being eliminated. Remaining staffers in the group will transfer to other teams.

Two other staffers with lengthy tenures saw their positions eliminated. Velma Ferrell, who worked with international student ministries, and Carolyn Hopkins, in WMU, had both served the convention for 26 years.

Positions working in support of the Council on Christian Higher Education were eliminated, affecting executive director Wayne Wike and secretary Cheryl Cruickshank. The council will continue to function and receive program funds, Royston said, with day-to-day responsibilities shifted to other convention personnel.

Two positions in Baptist Men and one in partnership missions were eliminated. These include youth and student missions consultant John McGinnis, receptionist/secretary Carla Foster, and partnership missions project coordinator Dan Bivins.

Positions held by benefits coordinator Donna Thompson and international student ministry secretary Alice Johnson were also eliminated.

Nine budgeted positions not currently filled will also be removed from the budget. These include four program staff and five support staff. In all, the cutbacks affected 13 program positions and 11 support positions.

Royston cited current economic positions that have adversely affected many industries and individuals in the state. In an e-mail to staff, he said the BSC had sought to avoid laying off employees, choosing instead not to fill positions that became vacant through attrition. "Unfortunately, the Baptist State Convention is no longer in a position to take this approach," Royston said.

Although declining income had already led to a series of cost-cutting moves, the reductions were not enough, he said. "For most of this calendar year we have been in a position of expenses exceeding income. This is a dangerous place for any organization to find itself. This unfortunate reduction of personnel will bring our expense to income ratio back in line."

In a later e-mail to convention staff, Royston said "I believe the depth of these cuts will help us avoid making additional cuts in the near future."

Through the staff reductions, convention officials hope to save about $250,000 in the remainder of 2003, and $700,000 in 2004.

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