Miami finalizes job cuts
Layoffs include 64 Oxford, 8 Middletown employees
Erin Bowen
Issue date: 2/27/09 Section: Front Page
After months of uncertainty and debate swirling around employee cuts, Miami University President David Hodge announced 54 classified and unclassified employees on the Oxford campus will be eliminated next week. The cuts come from the university's plan to reduce the permanent budget by $22 million.
In his e-mail to the Oxford campus staff Wednesday evening, Hodge said 216 positions were identified for elimination, yet as a result of the hiring freeze and the early retirement incentive option, 143 of the positions identified are currently vacant.
Hodge wrote the final number of Oxford employees who will forcibly lose their jobs is 64, which includes the 10 WMUB workers who have already been notified. In addition to the Oxford cuts, the Middletown campus has identified nine positions for elimination, including one vacant position, while the Hamilton campus has no current plans to eliminate positions.
Hodge said the decision to cut staff is a difficult process, one in which the university took a strategic approach.
"The thing we emphasized over and over again was that we need to look at the budget cuts strategically," Hodge said. "We need to look at long-term goals. The central purpose of the university is educating our students. We can't say nothing will be different, but we have to look at what is best in our long-term ability to deliver a first class education."
Provost Jeffrey Herbst said the eliminated positions do not include faculty, which he said demonstrates the university's decision to limit cuts to academic affairs.
"None of the positions to be cut involve faculty," Herbst said. "They do include staff members which are an integral part of the educational program. We are taking every step possible to preserve and strengthen the value of the university."
Herbst said the vice presidents of each department have been given targets they need to reach to contribute to the budget deficit reduction.
"We are trying to meet those targets while disrupting the university as little as possible, especially while preserving our strategic priorities," Herbst said.
In his e-mail to the Oxford campus staff Wednesday evening, Hodge said 216 positions were identified for elimination, yet as a result of the hiring freeze and the early retirement incentive option, 143 of the positions identified are currently vacant.
Hodge wrote the final number of Oxford employees who will forcibly lose their jobs is 64, which includes the 10 WMUB workers who have already been notified. In addition to the Oxford cuts, the Middletown campus has identified nine positions for elimination, including one vacant position, while the Hamilton campus has no current plans to eliminate positions.
Hodge said the decision to cut staff is a difficult process, one in which the university took a strategic approach.
"The thing we emphasized over and over again was that we need to look at the budget cuts strategically," Hodge said. "We need to look at long-term goals. The central purpose of the university is educating our students. We can't say nothing will be different, but we have to look at what is best in our long-term ability to deliver a first class education."
Provost Jeffrey Herbst said the eliminated positions do not include faculty, which he said demonstrates the university's decision to limit cuts to academic affairs.
"None of the positions to be cut involve faculty," Herbst said. "They do include staff members which are an integral part of the educational program. We are taking every step possible to preserve and strengthen the value of the university."
Herbst said the vice presidents of each department have been given targets they need to reach to contribute to the budget deficit reduction.
"We are trying to meet those targets while disrupting the university as little as possible, especially while preserving our strategic priorities," Herbst said.
Viewing Comments 1 - 3 of 6
Watchdog '76
posted 2/27/09 @ 12:39 PM EST
I noticed that Garland is still getting his 100K + for sitting on his ass.
'04 Grad
posted 2/28/09 @ 9:43 PM EST
Hey dumba$$ - Garland isn't president anymore. Guess you didn't notice anything.
Bill Friedline
posted 3/06/09 @ 11:50 AM EST
Don't worry Ms Garland. Watchdogs often bark at the wrong things.
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