UW-Oshkosh Implements Layoffs and Furloughs to Address $18 Million Deficit

UW-Oshkosh plans to lay off about 200 non-faculty staff and administrators and furlough others in response to an $18 million budget deficit caused by declining enrollment and reduced state funding. The university is facing a "perfect storm" of conditions, including a decline in high school graduates choosing college, declining state support, and an over-reliance on tuition revenue. The layoffs amount to about 20% of university employees, and furloughs will begin in September and continue through June 2024. The university aims to shield academic programs while reorganizing and reducing expenses.