OxfordPress.com

OXFORD — Miami University officials Tuesday, March 10, plan to announce division-wide the 55 current positions that will be eliminated beginning June 30.

Positions range from a library technician at an annual salary of $19,500 to a lead software developer at $93,300 annually, said Claire Wagner, Miami spokeswoman.

"The position eliminations do not reflect on the performance of our staff," Wagner said. "We have wonderful and skilled employees at Miami. The university is making these difficult decisions because of our dire financial situation."

Other job eliminations include a part-time program host at $14,800, coordinator of computer services at $47,200, a grounds maintenance manager at $48,300, university engineer at $91,766, staff physician at $97,987, training support analyst at $43,233, instrument maker at $44,449 and medical assistant at $16,054.

Miami President David Hodge announced in December that approximately 100 positions might need to be eliminated to deal with the university's projected budget deficit, Wagner said.

Since the fall of 2008, 216 positions have been identified for elimination.

As a result of a hiring freeze for 73 positions and a retirement incentive option chosen by more than 70 staff, 143 positions identified for elimination in Oxford are already vacant, Wagner said.

The employees last week were informed that their position would be eliminated by summer.

Also 10 WMUB employees received notification that their positions would be eliminated.

Of the nine positions identified for elimination at the Middletown campus, three were vacated. Six employees also received word that their positions would be eliminated, Wagner said.

No position eliminations will occur on the Hamilton campus.

Contact this reporter at (513) 820-2158 or lebbing@coxohio.com.