Academic Resource Coordinators for the Fresh Start program were informed at 8 p.m. Wednesday that their positions would be eliminated after the 2004-2005 academic year.

In an e-mail message to the Daily, Ginny Arthur, associate director for residence life, wrote that the Department of Residence still needed to cut $600,000 from its budget after the decision to close the Wallace-Wilson complex for the next academic school year. Eliminating the coordinator positions will save about $198,000.

Friley Anthony Coordinator Kathryn Wagner said Wednesday that she thought the coordinators had been bracing themselves for the announcement.

“We understand the reasoning behind it and that it’s not an attack against our position or the job that we’ve done,” she said.

The coordinators will continue their duties through the spring 2005 semester, though positions vacated during that time will not be filled and student desk workers will be hired to cover the hall desk hours covered by coordinators.

The Inter-Residence Hall Association and department were evaluating the Fresh Start Program as a possible area to make cuts.

Arthur and Todd Holcomb, and interim director of the Department of Residence, did not return phone calls requesting comment.