Chemistry lab assistants at IU Southeast were let go on Tuesday, Oct. 20.
The yearly budget is gauged from July to June of each year and, because of budgeting concerns for the Department of Chemistry, student lab assistants jobs were cut to stay within budget.
The news came abruptly as student lab assistants were notified in person or through e-mail.
“I understand where they are coming from, needing to stay in budget,” Andrew Stillman, chemistry senior and former lab assistant, said.
Elaine Haub, associate professor of chemistry and coordinator of the chemistry program, said the choice in keeping some lab assistants was broken down into categories.
“Priorities came up to what we needed assistance with,” Haub said.
The assistant jobs that were kept were some in the prepping of the labs, which is done in the morning prior to classes, as well as the night lab assistant job.
Night lab assistants are required to help students out to their cars as some of the labs do not end until after 11 p.m.
IU Southeast has seen a growth in enrollment, which has affected the Department of Chemistry and forced them to create two new sections to supply enough classes for the demand.
With the state of the economy, students are looking into health science majors. These classes often require chemistry classes with adjoining labs.
While the growth in enrollment has occurred, the expansion of funds has not.
“We’re still supplied the same amount now as we were before a 33 percent student increase,” Haub said.
The loss of the lab assistants will have an effect on the students. Lab assistants once utilized in the classroom will no longer be available.
“Obviously, our most important goal is the students,” Haub said.
Also, the lack of lab assistant jobs to offer students could have a negative effect on the learning experience.
“This isn’t just a job, it’s a learning experience,” Haub said. “It’s an active learning situation. You learn things better when you have to explain it to someone else.”
Stillman said he had high hopes in the future for the lab assistant positions, and had high hopes in the department’s desire to see them as beneficial and necessary resources for students.
“I am sure they will be working to change the circumstances so this doesn’t happen again,” Stillman said.
Haub said she was unsure of the future of student lab assistants because the layoffs were more recent development in the chemistry department.
“We’re trying to get through this semester,” Haub said. “We will have more of a plan for the spring semester.”
Haub said many of the faculty will have to pick up the slack where the lab assistants had once been working.
Haub said they will be looking into the prospect of getting more funds and other various ways to be able to hire assistants again.
“We will be looking into a work-study option for lab assistants,” Haub said. “Students can also volunteer if they wish as a résumé booster.”
Stillman said it was unique that IU Southeast, along with offering lab assistant work, which required chemistry undergraduates to do three credit hours of research.
“That doesn’t happen in places like U of L,” Stillman said. “I hope they don’t lose that uniqueness.”
By JESSICA MEYER
Staff Writer
jessmeye@ius.edu