Financial woes cause Printing Services layoffs

Four positions eliminated after budget review shows expenses exceeded income

KU last week notified four Printing Services employees that their positions would be eliminated effective Nov. 9. Officials said the action results from an annual budget review, which revealed that Printing Services’ expenses for fiscal year 2003 exceeded incoming funds.

“Having to cut staff positions to keep this service in the black has been a painful process,” said Marilu Goodyear, vice provost for information services. “However, the fiscal reality left us little choice.”

The university’s Department of Human Resources is offering all available assistance to the employees, Goodyear said. In all cases, the employees are receiving more notification time than state regulations require.

Under state rules, classified employees who are part of the permanent staff receive first consideration for other openings at the university for which they are eligible.

Goodyear said Printing Services operations had been affected by a combination of economic pressures.

“Our clients across the university have had to cut budgets and, we suspect, have reduced their printing purchases,” she said. “Other factors have come from technological changes within the printing industry.”

Printing Services is required to be a financially self-sustaining business operation. It uses the income from its operation to fund itself, including staff salaries and other expenditures, such as payments for janitorial services. The university provides the physical facility and utilities for Printing Services.

The four eliminated jobs are classified positions, in customer service, mailing, electronic publishing and production departments.

Through several unforeseen staff changes, Printing Services was able to avoid additional layoffs. An August resignation, a pending retirement and a voluntary departure of three other employees helped to minimize the cuts. Printing Services currently has 33 full-time employees.