The East Lansing School Board failed to bring back 33 faculty and staff members at their meeting Monday night.

Reinstating 75 employees was just part of passing the $39.4 million budget for the 2002-03 school year.

“The whole situation was complicated,” school board President Susan Schmidt said. “I am a teacher in the Lansing district, and I myself have been pink-slipped before.”

Administrative cuts were the highest with a salary reduction of 13.3 percent, followed by the bus drivers with a 12.4 percent salary cut.

Other cuts included $45,000 from the middle school sports program and an increase of students per classroom.

Schmidt said the district has strict regulations when dealing with teacher layoffs.

“It really comes down to credentials and seniority,” she said. “It’s hard when you have a crunching budget because you have to give out pink slips to many more teachers than we would really layoff.”

The potential of being laid off is stressful, but there was no other way to save money for the school’s $3.5 million deficit, Schmidt said.

“We gave out 108 pink slips, and recalled all but 33,” she said. “We actually lowered the number of teachers being laid off because of the continuance of Spartan Village.”

Spartan Village Elementary School, 1460 Middlevale Road, has been turned into the development center for children K-2.

“I’m really excited about Spartan Village,” Schmidt said. “We are also looking into having a prenurse program there for ages 3 to 4.”

Although the district knew they would recall a good portion of employees, some teachers were unsure about keeping their job.

“ I was very relieved,” said William Feraco, a ninth grade English and speech teacher. “The whole staff was anxious.”

But Feraco said the relief is bittersweet.

“I am relieved on one hand, but I am also concerned with those who weren’t called back,” he said.

“In a difficult situation such as this, there is definite sadness among the staff.”

Since younger teachers are typically the first to be laid off, Feraco said the district is losing much-needed teachers.

“We had very good young teachers with great energy, new ideas and were receptive to new experiences, he said.” When you lose that it’s difficult to recapture.”

With the regulations of seniority and credentials, some teachers weren’t worried about the recall.

“I was expecting to be called back,” high school math teacher John Brandenburg said. “Out of 108 teachers with pink slips, I was the fifth highest (in seniority).”

The pink slips caused some reductions, as well as other things in the budget.

“I think we responded really well to residents,” Schmidt said. “They wanted more administrative cuts and we gave it to them.”

Schmidt said she feels positive about the new budget.

“Class sizes are looking good, not outrageous,” she said.

Superintendent Thomas Giblin said the class sizes may increase, but the district is prepared.

“We have adjusted things the best we can,” he said. “I must say, I have enormous confidence in our teachers.”