UWO layoff notices issued today
Dear University community,
Today, the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh issued layoff notices to 140 employees. If you are an employee and did not receive an Institutional Realignment Plan-specific email notification, you are not affected by the layoffs.
We announced in August layoffs would be a necessary part of our plan to address an $18 million deficit. That early notice has in no way lessened the difficulty of this day.
The actions we are taking are structured with stewardship: to support UWO’s core academic mission, to have minimal impact on students and student success and to sustain an institution this region, the state and its people need for decades to come.
My hope is we will support each other today and in the days to come. There is a long road in front of us as we restructure and rebuild, and we do so with fewer of the valued colleagues who have shared their expertise and talents with us for many years, and in some cases, decades.
The layoffs affect UWO administrative and staff positions. No faculty were laid off today. Emails have been sent to supervisors and all impacted employees. Those colleagues facing layoff are able to schedule in-person meetings with Human Resources later this week. The university is providing robust resources, benefits information, job placement assistance and other supports to employees affected by the layoffs.
Scope
I want to share more detail with you and our many stakeholders regarding the scope and timelines of our workforce reduction plan, which is now taking final shape.
As of today, 76 UWO employees have accepted the voluntary retirement offer. That number includes 49 staff members, 21 faculty members and 6 instructional academic staff.
The total number of layoffs plus voluntary retirements is 216.
34.5 vacant positions will remain unfilled. This brings the total number of positions affected by layoffs, voluntary retirement and open positions to about 250.
The last day of employment for those colleagues laid off is Jan. 20, 2024.
The last day of employment for those taking part in the voluntary retirement program varies but is no later than Jan. 9, 2024.
Layoffs, voluntary retirements and open positions are expected to result in a total salary savings of about $14.7 million: about $8 million from layoffs, $4.76 million from voluntary retirements and $1.9 million from open positions.
I appreciate your expectation that administration, too, be a part of the solution. Twelve UWO leaders (serving in 10 positions on our administrative organizational chart) are being impacted by layoff, retirement or reassignment. This equates to 22 percent of the positions in that chart and includes the elimination of one of four of UWO’s vice chancellor positions, four associate and assistant chancellors, four director-level positions and three other administrative posts. Many more UWO administrative employees across our four divisions have been notified of layoff outside of those identified in the organizational chart.
Over the next week, I will share more detail on the scope of our workforce reductions and the path ahead. First, I ask that we prioritize and provide the time and the opportunity for our impacted people to process the difficult news we deliver today and to avail themselves of the help we offer.
I know I am asking a lot of each and every one of you. As I said above, it is my hope we continue to support each other during this time of dramatic change and transition at UWO.
Chancellor Andy Leavitt