EUGENE, Ore. – The University of Oregon (UO) on Monday announced another round of layoffs as part of its plan to close a $29 million structural budget deficit, but emphasized that no tenured or tenure-track faculty positions and no academic degree programs will be cut.
Details of the Layoffs
The latest move includes the elimination of 60 filled jobs and 59 vacant positions, bringing the total number of positions cut this year to 176. According to UO, the reductions include:
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42 officers of administration
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49 classified employees
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20 career faculty
Those affected will be notified of their employment status this week. Student worker positions not renewed for the fall were not included in the university’s count.
Provost Christopher Long said the decisions were guided by a commitment to the school’s academic mission.
“In making these decisions, we’ve prioritized the university’s academic mission and student success,” Long said in an interview with KLCC.
Concerns Over Academic Integrity
In the weeks leading up to Monday’s announcement, some faculty raised concerns that layoffs might extend to tenured professors or lead to the elimination of entire academic subjects. Critics argued such cuts would harm the university’s reputation as a research institution.
Long reassured the community that these fears would not materialize. “No tenured or tenure-track faculty will be laid off, and no degree programs will be eliminated,” he said.
He added that cuts were not evenly distributed across colleges. Decisions were based on student enrollment patterns and each college’s opportunities to generate revenue.
Financial Pressures Continue
The provost acknowledged that financial pressures on higher education remain unpredictable. “The volatility of the financial situation in higher education is not changing,” Long said. “We’re going to still have to be vigilant in working together with our faculty, with our academic and administrative leaders.”
Chief Financial Officer Jamie Moffitt stressed that while UO faces long-term fiscal challenges, it is not in immediate crisis. Responding to union claims that the deficit qualifies as “financial exigency,” Moffitt said that term only applies when an institution cannot pay its basic operating expenses.
“If we do not take action, we eventually would be in financial exigency in many years, once we run through all of our one-time carry-forward funds,” she explained.
Union Responses
The announcement drew mixed reactions from university unions.
Kate Mills, president of the faculty union United Academics of UO, credited protests and advocacy for saving tenured positions and academic programs.
“This is a powerful demonstration of collective action at work,” Mills said. “I am so grateful for our faculty who mobilized over the last few months and brought pressure to bear on the administration, and to our legislators and political leaders who helped us convince the administration to change course.”
Still, Mills expressed disappointment over the loss of career faculty and warned that heavier workloads could fall on those who remain.
Jennifer Smith, president of UO’s classified employees union, said the number of cuts was lower than she had feared but criticized the process.
“I’ve been frustrated with what I see as a rushed layoff process,” Smith said. “Upper administration are ultimately responsible for our budget, and I’d like to see some accountability.”
Looking Ahead
While unions weigh their next steps, the university must move forward with fewer resources and fewer staff. United Academics has not yet decided whether to pursue its grievance over the financial exigency question, noting that more details are needed before action is taken.
For now, the layoffs represent another difficult chapter for UO as it seeks to stabilize its finances while trying to preserve its reputation for research and academic excellence.
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