OU announces 1st layoffs of 2019

NORMAN — The University of Oklahoma announced Thursday the first layoffs of the new year — 28 positions on the Norman and Health Sciences Center campuses expected to result in an annual savings of more than $2 million.

The reduction in force came a week after OU's chief financial officer reported OU is “operating on a very thin margin right now” as officials continue to look for efficiencies department by department.

“It's very difficult work. It's making very difficult decisions,” CFO Ken Rowe said.

When OU cut about 50 positions in November, President Jim Gallogly said there would be additional staff reductions in 2019.

OU spokeswoman Lauren Brookey said last week no large-scale layoff was planned. Rather, layoffs will come in smaller groups as department heads review their individual budgets and recommend cuts.

Thursday's announcement stated the 28 employees worked primarily in the Information Technology department on the Norman campus and the landscaping department on the Health Sciences Center campus. The employees were given at least 60 days of paid notification in advance of their last day of employment and a separation program that includes compensation and a payment for insurance continuation benefits under COBRA, according to the announcement.

Many of the positions cut in November also were in the IT and landscaping departments, where Gallogly said overspending was rampant.

The IT department is reorganizing, ending some specialty functions that can be managed at the university level, and reducing positions that are associated with IT work supporting new construction projects, according to Thursday's announcement. The cuts are not expected to impact IT services to classrooms or offices.

The reductions in the landscaping department were positions associated with seasonal work on the Health Sciences Center campus.