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Blackhawk Tech might make administrative cuts

Blackhawk Technical College is looking into whether it wants to cut administration.

The BTC Board's personnel committee meets Wednesday to discuss "the potential of administrative staff layoffs," according to a meeting announcement.

This is a "highly preliminary" discussion, stressed BTC Vice President of Human Resources Brian Gohlke. No immediate decision is expected.

The discussion was scheduled to be behind closed doors.

Gohlke said the administration is evaluating "a couple situations" that could result in cutting administrative positions. They are not clerical or teaching positions, he said.

The committee also will discuss elevating the director of student services position to the rank of vice president. That discussion is scheduled to be in open session.

The current director of student services, Barbara Erlandson, retires June 30.

"Redefining this position reflects the growing and expanding responsibilities within student services and is being requested prior to beginning a search to replace the retiring director of student services," according to the announcement.

Erlandson was promoted from manager to director of student services during BTC's last administrative reorganization in March 2008.

The reason for the previous promotion was that Erlandson was absorbing some of the duties of the vice president of learning support, who resigned and whose position was not filled.

The BTC Board gave Erlandson a 7.7 percent raise to reflect the new title and responsibility.

"The (student services director) serves as a member of the president's council and is responsible for the oversight of all student records, student enrollment and student life activities," according to a memo prepared for Wednesday's meeting.

If a new vice president is approved, BTC would have four people with that title, Gohlke said.

The new vice president could earn more than Erlandson now earns.

The salary range for a vice president is $82,996 to $124,494, Gohlke said. Erlandson, with a salary of about $86,000, is near the top of the range for her director position.

It's impossible to know what the new person's salary might be until he or she is hired, but BTC typically hires below the midpoint of the range, Gohlke said.

The committee would present any recommendations to the full board, which meets after the committee Wednesday.