Discussions have been raised about a continuation of the Career Transition Incentive (CTI) program for the current spring semester. In the fall 2025 semester, Keene State saw a large loss of staff due to faculty separations brought on by the cut to the New Hampshire state budget.
“There has now been a CTI that’s been ratified by the KSCEA [KSC Education Association] members and that the provost and president have signed on for,” William McColloch, president of the faculty union said. “So that’s been fully approved at this point.”
McColloch added he “doesn’t expect the effects are gonna be particularly dramatic,” with the number of target separations being five.
“It’s not something that’s going to result in major changes to individual academic programs or closure of academic programs,” McColloch said. “Students should expect that all of the majors that are currently available will continue to be available next year.”
McColloch addressed the impact the budget cuts have had and how “both the CTI that occurred in the fall and the current CTI effectively allow the college to reduce its reliance on senior faculty members and move towards junior faculty members when appropriate.”
Kirsti Sandy, provost and vice president for academic affairs, described who would be eligible for the package.
“It is accurate to call this a continuation,” Sandy said. “The details of this one are a little bit different, though. We had people who didn’t fit into the categories of the one last semester who said they would like the opportunity.”
She used the previous age requirements as a barrier for some faculty.
Sandy explained the package will be nearly the same to the one offered last semester and that May 22 will act as the last day faculty are on campus. Faculty who take the package would be able to come back as adjunct staff and professors immediately starting in either the fall semester or during summer classes.
Sandy echoed McColloch’s sentiments regarding the interest in the package continuation by faculty and staff members.
“We weren’t originally planning on opening it up in the spring,” Sandy said. “But I had people ask after the last one was over—just a few people—who said ‘I would have loved this opportunity, I didn’t get to do it.’ I thought it only seemed fair to do that. We are only expecting very small numbers this time.”
Sandy also addressed whether Plymouth State will have similar incentive packages available.
“There is one,” Sandy said. “It’s called SIP, ours is called CTI. It’s a little different. [Plymouth is] focusing on people from specific disciplines.”
Sandy said the package at Keene State is “open to anyone from any discipline.”
Sandy emphasized that the school can refuse to allow faculty and professors to take the package if their positions and roles are crucial to the continuation of campus life and can’t be filled.
Sandy said she thinks the CTI package could affect students.
“If you’re expecting a class with a particular instructor or if you have an advisor who is leaving that could be a challenge,” Sandy said. “This happens all the time, though. Any time a faculty or staff member leaves the campus there is the potential for an impact on students.”
Chloe Erno can be contacted at
