The University of Oklahoma has recently announced that it will cut 28 staff members in certain areas within the Norman and Health Science Center campuses.
The staff reductions follow suggestions submitted by university and department leadership that asked the school to establish cost savings and efficiencies plans for their areas, Oklahoma officials said.
The 28 reductions are predicted to create more than $2 million in annual savings for the institution.
The reductions will primarily come from the Information Technology department on the Norman campus and the landscaping department on the Health Sciences Center campus, according to ABC-affiliate station KOCO News.
All employees affected by the cuts have been notified by their supervisor and given at least 60 days of paid notification in advance of their last day of employment and a separation program that consists of things such as compensation and a payment for insurance continuation benefits under COBRA, Oklahoma officials said.
The Norman campus IT department is restructuring leadership roles, ridding some specialty functions that can be managed at the university level, and decreasing the number of positions associated with IT work supporting new construction projects, university officials said.
The level of IT services provided to Oklahoma classrooms or offices are not projected to be impacted by the reductions.
The reductions in the Health Sciences Center landscaping department were roles associated with seasonal work, officials said, adding that the campus will keep landscaping staff to maintain the campus year-round.
Like the previous staff reduction announced by the university in November, employees affected by the cuts will be given at least 60 days of paid notice in advance of their last day of employment and offered a separation program that will include compensation, a payment for insurance continuation benefits under COBRA and a payout of accrued compensatory time and paid time off in accordance with Sections 4.3.2 and 3.10.1.2 in the University of Oklahoma staff hand book.
