UNIVERSITY WITHDRAWS LAYOFFS

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. -- The University of Arkansas has withdrawn plans to layoff 31 Physical Plant employees, according to Dr. Donald O. Pederson, Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration.

"Since our initial announcement of the layoffs June 15, we have carefully reviewed the entire procedure to carry out the scheduled layoffs and believe we made mistakes in communication and implementation. We did not fully engage appropriate University officers and others in the decision making process. I take full responsibility for these errors and have recommended to Chancellor White the terminations be withdrawn." said Pederson.

Chancellor White has accepted Dr. Pederson’s recommendation.

"Over the last three weeks I have carefully and methodically reviewed the entire process and talked with numerous internal and external constituents and believe the terminations were not handled appropriately. We made mistakes in moving forward with this plan. As chief executive officer for this campus, I accept responsibility for the decisions made and support Dr. Pederson’s recommendation to reconsider our action," said White.

Chancellor White has directed Dr. Pederson to review more fully the budgetary issues facing Physical Plant and to recommend strategies to relieve those financial pressures. "We have a serious budget problem in our Physical Plant that cannot be ignored. We will be looking for solutions to this difficult issue in the coming months. Solutions will not come easy, but we must continue to be good stewards of the state’s resources and look at all possible scenarios," said Chancellor White.

Pederson and White met Wednesday morning with the Physical Plant personnel affected by the decision. Chancellor White expressed sincere regret to the employees for the anxiety and heartache resulting from the announced layoffs and asked that they work with him, Dr. Pederson and Leo Yanda, Director of Physical Plant, to help develop alternative plans to alleviate the budget problems.

Chancellor White also offered apologies to all members of the General Assembly for comments attributed to Mr. Yanda to the effect that the layoffs were necessary because the University did not receive funding for utilities for new buildings that have been constructed on campus.

"That is not the case and we are very appreciative of the efforts of key members of the General Assembly to provide such funds," said White.