More than 160 Ohio University employees have accepted a buyout thus far, including three departing deans.
As of today, 163 employees — 62 faculty members; 33 classified staff members; 36 members of the local chapter of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees; and 32 administrators — have finalized their early retirement or voluntary separation agreements, OU President Roderick McDavis said.
“We’re not sure overall what the impact will be,” McDavis said. “We need to assess where we need to replace employees.
“Obviously where we can save money, we will not replace people. The purpose (of the buyouts) was to try to create savings for the university.”
OU expects to save about $13 million a year from the buyouts.
In an email to faculty Tuesday, Executive Vice President and Provost Pam Benoit said that during the 2011-12 school year, OU will only hire Group II and Group IV faculty to fill gaps left by departing faculty.
The university will look at demand, class sizes and faculty workload when deciding whether to hire Group II and Group IV, Benoit said in the email.
OU has not offered a faculty buyout for 25 or 30 years, said Linda Lonsinger, OU’s chief human resources officer.
For this reason, Benoit said that it was difficult to gauge how many faculty members would take a buyout.
“It’s hard to make projections when you don’t have a trend (to compare),” Benoit said.
OU will begin recruiting Group I faculty this July but will not hire any until the 2012-13 school year.
Universities most often recruit Group I faculty at summer and fall conferences, said Ann Fidler, Benoit’s chief of staff.
“(Hiring) would depend on what the need is,” she added.
OU will approve “limited” Group I hiring if faculty is required to support a Ph.D. program; if faculty are needed to teach fundamental, high-demand courses; if a school or department can demonstrate an immediate need; or if a school or department has available funding for the new hire in its budget, states Benoit’s email.
Each academic support unit must develop a staffing plan with “an appropriate mix of tenure-track and non-tenure track faculty” by the 2013-14 school year, Benoit’s email states.
The university plans to hire back about 60 percent of employees who accept a buyout at 75 percent the salary, according to a previous Post article. OU estimates that 22 percent of eligible employees, or 263 people, will take a buyout, which would cost the university $15 million up front.
“Some of the employees have expressed gratitude that this was available, which is a plus,” McDavis said. “Ultimately, we hope (the buyouts) reduce the number of people we have to lay off.”
Employees who completed a buyout agreement by May 23 will receive bonuses ranging from $5,000 to $80,000.
Scripps College of Communication Dean Greg Shepherd and College of Arts and Sciences Dean Ben Ogles will depart with an additional $80,000 when they leave OU July 1 after taking the buyout option, according to agreements they filed with the university.
Dan Evans, dean of Regional Higher Education, will retire June 30 but will continue to work for OU on a part-time basis. He also plans to take a buyout plan.
“My understanding is he is doing the early retirement plan but did not take either of the options with bonuses,” Benoit said.
Deadlines for accepting a buyout offer range from June 30 this year to June 30, 2012. It is unknown how many more employees will opt for an early retirement or voluntary separation agreement, Lonsinger said.
“The expectation is that it will drop off,” she said. “The degree to which it will drop off we really don’t know.”
— Rebecca McKinsey contributed to this article.
cb119560@ohiou.edu
@ThePostCampus
