OHSU To Downsize Up to 1,000 Jobs

Portland’s Oregon Health & Science University will eliminate up to 8% of its 12,400 jobs as it deals with a funding gap as large as $35 million.

OHSU President Joe Robertson told staff today that the financial situation will result in the loss of at least 500 jobs and as many as 1,000.

The public university has already cut 120 positions, chiefly from human resources, facilities, public safety, information technology support, communications, government relations and legal.

OHSU is working on $8 million in reductions to the School of Medicine. In addition, the OHSU contribution to the pension plan for unclassified employees and faculty will be cut from 12 to 10%.

OHSU previously announced a hiring freeze, a salary freeze and postponement of a major expansion. Robertson and the executive team voluntarily accepted a 20% pay cut.