HIGHER EDUCATION BUBBLE UPDATE, SURPRISINGLY SENSIBLE APPROACHES EDITION: Amazing. UW-Madison Able to Eliminate 434 Positions Without Laying Off Any Faculty. A couple of astute observations:

1.) That UW-Madison was able to eliminate 434 positions with only 70 layoffs ought to tell you that there was fat to trim. No, I’m not cheering the job losses for the 70, but it is amazing that the administration was able to find 364 positions that don’t need to be filled.

2.) That UW-Madison was able to eliminate 434 positions without laying off a single faculty member provides a glimpse of just how many layers of employment exist outside of the faculty who should be providing class instruction. If the elimination of these positions force more professors into the class, this is a good thing.

Indeed. Plus: “In fact, the worst thing about these position cuts is that they don’t appear to include any six-figure administrators but target graduate assistants and academic staff. Nevertheless, fat is being trimmed.” Well, there’s always next time.