EIU Media Relations

Position Eliminations Result in Layoffs at EIU

In an effort to bring the size of Eastern Illinois University’s workforce more in line with current enrollment and appropriated funding, officials have identified 118 civil service and A&P (administrative and professional) positions for elimination.  While more than 50 of those positions are already vacated, the decision will result in the layoff of 67 employees.

“These are excellent, high performing employees who are working in positions we felt we could no longer support financially,” said EIU President David Glassman.

Efforts to personally notify employees being affected began on Monday and will continue through Wednesday.

Human Resources personnel, along with job supervisors, are meeting with employees individually to relay the news of each job elimination and to provide those employees with packets of information regarding the various resources available to them as they move forward. 

In accordance with civil service guidelines, those eligible are also being notified of their option to “bump,” or replace another university employee with less seniority in the same job classification.  “Until that process is completed, we won’t actually know which employees will be leaving the university,” Glassman said.

The 51 vacated positions being eliminated were once held by employees who earlier retired or resigned from the university and who were not replaced.

An additional number of individuals (not included in the 118) holding A&P or academic support positions will be notified of position elimination or reduction of their annual 12-month employment to 10 or 11 months “very shortly,” Glassman added.

For several weeks, Eastern’s four vice presidents have collaborated with their respective unit leaders to review budgets and develop strategies that will help manage the university’s FY16 budget.  At Glassman’s request, they each developed a division-wide recommendation plan for expense cutting and related layoffs for the president’s personal review.

Unfortunately, Eastern still has not learned what its budget will be for FY16 from the state of Illinois.  It cannot be assumed that additional cuts won’t take place this year.

“We will, however, continue to be ever mindful of our core educational mission and shared values of academic excellence, student success and a positive student experience,” Glassman said.

The president intends to discuss the cost-cutting measures as a whole and to share his vision for re-energizing the Eastern brand during his first State of the University address in September.