OU President cuts/reorganized executives on 1st day

[SoonerTraveler]

University of Oklahoma President Jim Gallogly cut, reorganized his executives on first day
by Kathryn McNutt / The Oklahoman / Mon, July 2, 2018

https://newsok.com/article/5600051/ou-president-cuts-one-third-executives-on-first-day

EXCERPT ...

NORMAN — Jim Gallogly spent his first morning as University of Oklahoma president streamlining the senior staff.

OU announced cuts to the executive staff and a reorganization just after noon. The plan reduces the number of executives who report to Gallogly from 25 to 17, nearly one-third. The executive staff includes all leaders at the Norman, Tulsa and Health Sciences campuses.

Among the executives who were let go are Nick Hathaway, vice president for administration and finance. That position was eliminated. Also gone are Chris Kuwitzky, chief financial officer, and Clive Mander, chief audit executive.

Gallogly reported last month that OU's Norman campus has been losing $36 million a year the past five years, and said he would rework the new fiscal year budget to cut inefficiencies. At the same time, he is holding tuition flat and planning $5 million in targeted pay increases for faculty.

A number of executives are being reassigned and positions realigned.

"These first steps are needed to help maintain current tuition levels and work toward faculty pay raises,” Gallogly said Monday afternoon.

"It's been a tough morning," he said. "You don't make that many changes without it being difficult."

A news release announcing the reorganization stated, "We wish to thank Nick Hathaway, Chris Kuwitzky, Clive Mander, Rowdy Gilbert, Scott Mason and Jonathan Nichols for their service to our university and wish them well in their future endeavors."

 

[SoonerTraveler]

A Conversation with OU President-Designate James Gallogly (James Gallogly, talks about what he is looking forward to the most as he prepares to become the 14th president of OU.)

LINK TO VIDEO:
https://newsok.com/multimedia/video...on-with-ou-president-designate-james-gallogly

 

[SoonerTraveler]

NORMAN TRANSCRIPT ...
http://www.normantranscript.com/new...cle_29dc7e37-87f7-5029-afa5-19a56b2d0181.html

EXCERPT ...

Gallogly fires six administrators on first working day in office

NORMAN — University of Oklahoma President James Gallogly delivered on a promise to shake things up Monday, firing six high level administrators from their positions on his first working day in office.

Gallogly, who officially became OU’s 14th president on Sunday following nearly 24 years of David Boren’s tenure, first publicly entertained the idea of laying off non-faculty staff as a cost-cutting measure during the OU Board of Regents meeting last month. He said OU is running a deficit and currently facing a debt of nearly $1 billion.

“We view this as an excellent opportunity to hire new talent to bring fresh perspectives and improved diversity to our organization,” Gallogly said in a statement issued to students and faculty. “We wish to thank Nick Hathaway, Chris Kuwitzky, Clive Mander, Rowdy Gilbert, Scott Mason and Jonathan Nichols for their service to our university and wish them well in their future endeavors.”

The university plans to eliminate Hathaway’s former position of executive vice president for administration and finance entirely, while conducting a nationwide search to hire replacements for the other five vacancies created by the departure of Associate Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Kuwitzky, Chief Audit Executive Mander, Executive Federal Programs Director Mason, Senior Associate Vice President for Public Affairs Gilbert and Vice President for Governmental Relations Nichols.

Moving forward, the chief financial officer, chief human resources officer and vice president for facilities and services will report directly to the president, reducing the total number of executives from 25 to 17, a reduction of 32 percent across all OU campuses.

The move will save the university $1.13 million annually, but Gallogly said the move was less about cost savings and more about streamlining a top-heavy administration.

Though six OU executives are confirmed exits, Monday’s release indicates more layoffs and restructuring could be eminent.