The University of Delaware has laid off 122 employees as it deals with a potential quarter of a billion-dollar shortfall.
University spokesperson Andrea Boyle Tippett confirmed that the university went through a reduction in force this week.
Tippett said job reductions were concentrated in areas “where operations have slowed because of the pandemic, including facilities maintenance, construction project management, and conference services.”
Tippett noted that President Dennis Assanis had announced that the reductions would be coming along with small salary cuts for top administrators and other actions aimed at dealing with the shortfall.
UD also tapped into its estimated $1.5 billion endowment to deal with the budget gap.
The layoffs are believed to have come from the ranks of nonunion employees.
Negotiations are underway with professors and others with union representation regarding early retirements and other options.
UD has been hammered by higher costs stemming from the coronavirus outbreak and lower enrollment as students chose to sit out the year.
Most classes at UD are being taught remotely.
The university’s business model has been predicated on growing enrollment and a broadened number of academic offerings.
