Northwestern University officials today announced reductions in administrative staffing as a way to help close a projected budget deficit.
University spokesman Al Cubbage said about 80 people, or one percent of the total staff, are being dismissed. No faculty members were hit by the layoffs. Some staff positions that are vacant also are not being filled.
In a memo distributed to employees, NU President Morton Schapiro said the school also plans to defer several major facilities projects, reduce non-salary expenses in all administrative units by 10 percent and in academic units by 5 percent and cut spending on information technology projects.
The memo says officials have “established significantly stronger controls on spending” since January of this year, but still expect to have total spending for the fiscal year that ends next month outpace revenue.
It adds that the school has sufficient fund reserves to cover the shortfall from surpluses accumulated in prior years, but that “we cannot continue to rely on our reserves, and we must bring our expenses back in line with our revenues.”
So wrong
They laid off all 80 employees on one day without any kind of notice. And people wonder why there are mass shooters at work places. I hope they gave them a good severence package. Completely unfair that regular folks have to suffer because the administration can’t manage the funds it has. Obviously, something is going to suffer with that many employees departing all at once. I can’t believe they didn’t come up with a better strategy. I wish those that got laid off the very best.
layoffs
Unfair to those employees whose children were going to attend northwestern with employee discount! It’s kind of late to be looking for a college at this point!!!
That’s a bit extreme
“People wonder why there are mass shooters in work places” Due to layoffs? My god! Please get educated and have a higher opinion of humanity.
Not a bad time to be laid off tho, hope these folks find jobs. I remember when both my parents got laid off the same week in 07, it sucks but most people tend to come out ahead. No sense working somewhere that you add no value.