Majority of faculty, staff let go weeks before PTC’s announced closure

OAKDALE, Pa. — When Pittsburgh Technical College announced in late June that it was regrettably closing its doors forever, the Board of Trustees and now former President/CEO said the college would officially close on Aug. 9.

>> PTC students say they were blindsided, feel deceived by technical college’s closure

That’s also when students were told they’d have to move out of campus housing and find another place to live. However, less than two weeks later, students were forced to move out of campus housing and now 11 Investigates has learned a majority of faculty/staff - roughly two-thirds - have had their positions eliminated.

PTC’s campus looks and feels like a ghost town. The parking lot that used to be full of cars belonging to students, faculty and staff is nearly empty and student housing is cleared out.

On Monday, just hours after their positions were officially eliminated with just days’ notice, we saw employees carrying boxes of items out to their cars. We also caught up with Kevon Thomas. While he’s getting credits for an internship, he didn’t get the opportunity to complete one.

“It was tough because I didn’t know where I was staying,” Thomas said. “We weren’t ‘forced out,’ but we didn’t have help moving out so it was kind of stressful.”

On Thursday, just before 9 p.m. and immediately after the pinning ceremony for nursing students, the entire nursing department was notified they were being let go. Some found out when their keycards didn’t work while they were cleaning up, while others got a mass email from HR, reading:

“The college had hoped to remain open for its employees until August 9, but you were also informed that this date might have to be modified ... Your position with the college will be eliminated effective June 30 ...”

Faculty and staff who were under the impression they’d be paid through Aug. 9, won’t be. Paid time off, ‘milestone or years of service bonuses’ and winddown pay that was promised are also no more.

Stirring the pot even more among those who lost their jobs and benefits so abruptly, is an Instagram post by PTC’s now former President and CEO, on vacation, writing:  “A Celebration Of What Matters: Life, Love and Happiness. A Very Special Time With Family and Friends.”

One former employee calls that social media post “disgusting,” while another says this is happening while students’ lives are upended, adding “We were all deceived.”

Faculty and staff who saw their positions eliminated and who thought they’d have benefits through Aug. 9 are now scrambling to figure out coverage after their benefits expired Sunday night at midnight.

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