FAIRBORN — Wright State University will begin the process of laying off some of their faculty workforce, said the school Thursday.
According to school officials, the university is in the early stages of the layoff process and do not know who will be layoff or how many.
“More information won’t be available until the process plays out,” said Wright State’s President Sue Edwards.
School officials cited declining enrollment, other financial hardships, and the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic led to the decision to reduce their faculty workforce.
Just over 12,000 students are enrolled at the university as of this fall, however, enrollment has dropped 30% in the past five years at Wright State. This is not unique to the university as colleges across Ohio have seen drops in enrollment in the past decade.
School officials say they did alert the faculty union on Thursday, that the university anticipates the need for layoffs.
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Per the process of the CPA (collectible bargaining agreement), a joint committee consisting of university and union representatives will begin the process of determining the number of people to layoff and other details between November and February.
In a letter sent to sent to the campus community on Thursday, affected faculty members will get 18 months of notice and workplace displacement support. The university has had to cut 50 positions this past summer in addition to 30 employees that agreed to retire early.
“Wright State University is an absolutely essential resource to the Dayton region. Our graduates remain here and contribute to the success of the businesses, organizations, and communities where they work and live,” said Edwards.
“These initiatives are all seated in assuring we remain viable and continue to be that much-needed resource,” she added.