People were lined up at the first floor of Burgin E. Dossett Hall on Sunday at noon to apply for ETSU’s voluntary buyout plan. Due to massive budget cuts, the Tennessee Board of Regents approved the voluntary buyout program Thursday.
While applications would not be accepted until 7 a.m. Monday, the line began forming at noon Friday, and most in line had been there the whole time. Only about 80 positions will be authorized to participate in the buyout.
The line was similar to those encountered at the Financial Aid Office on the first day of school, but these people were lined up for a different kind of financial aid. There were people sitting on the floor, resting in foldable chairs and even relaxing on cots. Many of the faculty and staff members who were actually applying for the buyout weren’t present. Instead there were “substitutes” of sorts, people standing in proxy for faculty and staff members who were unable to stand in line the entire time.
Regenia Shilling, office manager for the Vice President for Health Affairs, was number three in line. Shilling, a 31-year employee of ETSU, had been in line since noon Friday along with other faculty and staff. “We have about 50-plus people in line right now,” Shilling said Sunday. “Over 90 percent of them are planning to retire anyway, and the buyout is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. ETSU has only done this one other time since I’ve been here.” What means more to Shilling is the support from faculty and the community at large. There were two boxes of pizza and a pasta dish stacked on a table in a corner, donated from Marco’s Pizza and Pizza Hut. Faculty members walked around the front lines with platters of refreshments.
Barbara Charlton, coordinator of credit programs, praised Donna Szabo, associate director of the Office of Sponsored Programs, for her contributions to faculty lined up for the buyout. Szabo provided sustenance for the people, including breakfast and dinner for two days, and beverages.
“The outpour from fellow colleagues has been unreal,” said a teary-eyed Regenia Shilling. She spoke about a faculty member whose mother had fallen ill, and how her colleagues collaborated to wait in line for her.
Shilling said she was hopeful for approval of her buyout, but she would miss the ETSU family.

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