The University of Maine System has laid off 13 employees and eliminated three unfilled positions within its Information Technology (IT) department, as part of a broader restructuring effort. The changes, which also involve reassigning more than 50 employees, were confirmed by Chief Information Officer Robert Placido in an email to staff on Friday.
Placido cited the need to address inefficiencies and streamline the IT department, explaining that the current structure had created silos that hindered communication and collaboration. He noted that the department had become “top-heavy,” slowing decision-making and affecting service delivery.
The restructuring, which is intended to be cost-neutral, will see salary savings reinvested into expanding areas such as artificial intelligence (AI) adoption, enhanced security detection, and improved identity management systems. Additionally, more than six new positions will be created, including an Associate Chief Information Officer of Infrastructure, with six existing roles receiving salary increases and new titles.
Samantha Warren, spokesperson for the UMaine System, confirmed the layoffs and reassignment of roles, stating that the cuts account for about 6% of the IT department’s 215 positions. All 13 affected employees were notified on Friday, and their employment ended the same day. The layoffs included a range of roles, from IT solutions analysts to director-level positions, including the Executive Director of Networkmaine.
Warren emphasized that campus-based IT support staff, who provide direct assistance to students and faculty, are not impacted by the layoffs. She added that terminated employees would receive severance based on their respective contracts and access to the Employee Assistance Program for a year, offering services such as financial and legal aid, wellness seminars, and counseling.
The Maine Department of Labor’s Rapid Response Team will meet with affected employees to provide support during their transition.
Placido described the IT department restructuring as long overdue, acknowledging the difficulty of the decision and its impact on the laid-off employees and their families. However, he emphasized the importance of modernizing the department to meet the university system’s future needs.
Union representatives were notified of the layoffs on Thursday, but Neil Greenberg, president of the Universities of Maine Professional Staff Association, said the union leadership learned of the layoffs late Friday. Greenberg expressed shock at the news, stating that no prior discussions about the layoffs had taken place.
The UMaine System’s IT restructuring is part of a larger effort to enhance operational efficiency while maintaining cost neutrality amid changes in the higher education and technology landscapes.
