With the academic year drawing to an end, Ohio University eliminated twelve positions from its Finance and Administration department, leaving five university staff members without a job.
As a result of the cuts, the university has eliminated the positions of Joe Lalley, senior associate vice president for facilities and operations; Laura Nowicki, director of procurement and contract services; Adam Lewis, technical trainer; Cathie Chancellor, risk manager; and Jane Palmer, prevailing wage coordinator.
“At this point in time, those positions were abolished for budget efficiency,” Carly Leatherwood, a spokeswoman for the university, said.
The seven remaining positions eliminated were vacant. The duties of the eliminated positions will be “absorbed by other employees at the university,” Leatherwood said.
Those holding eliminated positions were notified of the decision last week. At the present time, no more layoffs are expected in the department.
In a February letter from the OU Budget Planning Council, Executive Vice President and Provost Pam Benoit highlighted budgetary restrictions making it difficult to invest in institutional areas, including the capital improvement plan, financial aid for students and academic programming.
OU’s ability to afford those investments, Benoit said, has been hindered by “significant uncertainty” from the Ohio budget process and would likely result in “sacrifices across all areas” of the university.
“While we remain committed to our vision and mission, closing our current budget gap will require shared sacrifices across all areas of our institution,” Benoit said in the letter. “Over the course of the next few months, Administrative and Academic leadership will be working together to prioritize and make tough choices.”
