May 21, 2020

Dear Faculty and Staff,

In light of the significant and ongoing financial challenges presented by the coronavirus pandemic, the University of Delaware today notified most part-time workers that they would no longer be employed as of June 1. UD’s Office of Human Resources has provided the affected employees with information about unemployment benefits and other assistance services.

This change affects primarily workers who help the University meet variable employment needs. It does not affect adjunct faculty, graduate students, work-study students or employees whose wages are paid through external funding, such as grants, gifts or corporate partnerships.

This difficult decision was made after careful consideration of the University’s financial situation, both as it stands now and as the pandemic continues to take a toll on multiple aspects of our operations. Over the past two months, the University has instituted extensive cost-control measures, including freezing salaries, suspending new hires, re-evaluating capital investments, and cutting travel and discretionary spending. While continuing to pay employees through May 31 as part of the COVID-19 Pandemic Pay Protocol, the University has also realigned staff to maximize our resources, ensure operational continuity and preserve our core workforce. These and other steps have helped to mitigate the financial impact of the pandemic. However, the University is projected to experience a $50 million loss in the spring semester, as well as a loss of $40 million or more in the upcoming academic year. These projections necessitated today’s actions.

The University’s part-time workers provided valuable assistance and support throughout the institution, and we appreciate their service to UD. We understand that this move will have an impact on our operations and may present challenges for our faculty and staff. As we have throughout this pandemic, we all must continue to be flexible and adaptive to meet the University’s evolving needs and make wise use of our available resources.

Thank you for your hard work and your partnership in these difficult times.

Jared Aupperle
Interim Vice President, Office of Human Resources