Coronavirus: St. Edward's University Cuts 95 Jobs

AUSTIN, TX — St. Edward's University has notified state officials of its plans to lay off 95 employees at it grapples with financial hardship spurred by the coronavirus spread.

University officials previously announced the imminent layoffs, but said only the cuts would affect 10 percent of the staff without providing a specific number.

Patch received the latest batch of layoffs notices sent to the Texas Workers Commission as outlined by the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act. Under the WARN provisions, employers must alert to upcoming layoffs to prepare affected workers needing to make the transition to another job.

Previous coverage: Coronavirus: St. Edward's University Lays Off 10 Percent Of Staff

According to a letter sent by the university to regulators, the 95 staffers are scheduled to be terminated by May 31. The nature of the jobs to be cut is unclear. The Texas Workforce Commission in the recent past stopped providing job descriptions attached to WARN notices, citing the privacy of those affected.

Patch emailed university spokesperson Sandra Zaragoza, but she also declined to detail the nature of the jobs impacted: "Thanks for checking with us," she wrote in response to an email. "I can only confirm that the number of job cuts referenced in the letter is correct."

Founded in 1885, the university located at 3001 S. Congress Ave. has been hit hard by the pandemic, previously discontinuing its golf, tennis and men's soccer programs as a result of financial shortfalls triggered by the spread of illness.

“Our organizational restructuring impacted every area of the university," university President George E. Martin previously said in a prepared statement. "The streamlining and efficiencies introduced in the plan actually enable us to provide students with an even higher quality experience than before. Most important, the plan avoids a budget deficit in Fiscal Year 2021, a risk that would jeopardize the future of the university. I am confident our plan will lead St. Edward’s to better days ahead.”

As the school grapples with financial losses triggered by the spread of illness, several areas of the university have undergone restructuring as officials detailed in a previously released advisory. Some of those changes include:

Academic programs

Consolidation of five academic schools into four with programs transitioning between schools. Kinesiology, for example, moves to the School of Natural Sciences from the School of Human Development and Education.

• The Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies for EC-6 elementary education teacher preparation will no longer accept new students. Current students will continue their studies and finish their degree.
• To align faculty positions with academic programs, some non-tenure track, visiting faculty appointments and academic contracts were not continued.

Student Affairs

• The discontinuation of five NCAA athletic programs and the transition of Cheer to a club sport was announced in April.
• Housing occupancy will be reduced in order to provide a safe, socially-distanced residential experience for our students, resulting in fewer live-in professional staff.
• Health services will be provided via a new partnership with Baylor Scott & White designed to provide students access to a broader range of medical services.

The Munday Library

• The Munday Library will transition to a Learning Commons model, which prioritizes digital collections and provides 24-hour card access for study, research and student academic services.
• The new Learning Commons is expected to include the Writing Center, Digital Media Center, Student Success Center and Student Academic Support Services.

"These proactive restructuring efforts strengthen the university’s ability to absorb changes related to COVID-19 while continuing to provide a formative, holistic student experience and prioritize the health and safety of our students and employees with a strong commitment to the Holy Cross Mission," university officials previously stated.