LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — According to a press release, the University of Arkansas Pulaski Technical College is reorganizing its various departments to improve efficiency and to achieve cost savings in its operations as a result of ongoing challenges inherent in the COVID-19 pandemic.
College leadership has developed a four-part plan that includes a combination of short-term furloughs, elimination of non-academic positions, freezing of positions, and consolidation of service units.
This reorganization will result in the furloughs of 18 employees and the elimination of 16 positions at the college.
Furloughed positions will be in two groups. The first group of positions are employees in catering and Little Learners Academy who will be furloughed June 1 – July 31. The second furlough group includes the Chancellor, Provost, Vice Chancellor for Finance, and Vice Chancellor for Institutional Advancement. These administrators will be furloughed June 1 – June 15.
The reorganization focuses on the integration of several identified smaller service units of operation into existing larger units. College units affected by positions being eliminated as a result of the reorganization include:
- Finance and Administration
- Allied Health
- Advancement
- Physical Plant
- Institutional Research
- Testing Services
- Professional Development
- Admissions
- Mail and Shipping Services
- Public Safety
- Technical and Professional Studies
- Purchasing
- Business and Industry Center
All eliminated positions are staff and classified positions; no academic faculty positions are affected. Persons impacted were personally contacted by the Chancellor the morning of May 27. The last day of employment for persons whose positions are terminated will be June 30, 2020.
Additionally, 19 currently open positions will not be filled.
The news was announced in a virtual “College Conversation” meeting led by Chancellor Margaret Ellibee Tuesday afternoon.
“UA-PTC will continue its mission of providing a quality educational experience to students, as well as be a service to our communities in central Arkansas,” said Dr. Ellibee. “The reorganization the College will pursue is an informed course of strategic action that will further support our mission; allow it to continue to be operationally efficient and be fiscally responsible.”