Editor, The Transcript:
I want to clarify information related to the story about the University of Oklahoma Press layoffs published in Saturday's Norman Transcript. Your story correctly stated that the layoffs were a cost-cutting measure, however, the reductions at the OU Press were not a result of the budget presented by President Boren and adopted at the Regents' meeting last week. The budget that President Boren presented to the OU Press did not direct layoffs or furloughs.
The reduction in force at the Press was due to national trends in the sales of books that have affected virtually all publishers in the United States. Reductions in demand for books and returns from wholesalers have impacted university presses nationwide. Many university presses have experienced much deeper cuts and some have been threatened with closure. We are fortunate by comparison.
When President Boren learned of the timing of the layoffs, he made funds available to the Press to provide 30 days of additional pay for a total of 60 days of pay to give those impacted more time to find other employment. President Boren also asked the staff of OU's office of human resources to work hard to find other jobs at the university for the affected individuals. These employees also will be first to be recalled if book production and sales improve. Already the human resources department at OU has been a great assistance.
I wanted to make clear that the reductions were not due to university directives but because of necessary adjustment to the national book market, which is beyond our control.
B. BYRON PRICE
Director
University of Oklahoma Press
Letters
Price clarifies OU Press layoffs
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Another Library Vote? Good grief!
Editor, The Transcript A new library on the west side? With hardly any books? With a dumb name above the entry as shown in your rendering? Infoplace? The library bureaucracy must think Norman voters just fell off the turnip truck....
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Eliminating state taxes places burden on poor
Editor, The Transcript: Your editorial on Feb. 8th that expressed your pleasure that the bill by Jim Wilson that would have removed the sales tax exemptions from newspapers was killed in committee was disconcerting. I can agree that the ...
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Not time to experiment with state taxes
Editor, The Transcript Governor Fallin proposed more cuts to the state income tax in her State of the State speech Feb. 6. This comes on the heels of a House Tax Reform Task Force that also proposed phasing out the state income tax over a ...
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Local investment is better for Norman
Editor, The Transcript Americans from all walks of life and political ideologies are asserting their voice to tell Wall Street “Enough is enough!” Occupy Norman members spoke at the Dec. 13 Norman City Council meeting, urging the city to ...
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Decline in unions harmful to economy
Editor, The Transcript Remember sometimes you get what your ask for? Let’s see, what could that be? I know, destroy those evil unions which are compromised of the middle class....
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Independent group needed
Editor, The Transcript: I wanted to write a letter a long time ago, but Ms. Rogers’ letter claiming that “Chromium levels in the water shouldn’t cause alarm” pushed me over the edge. As an environmental professional in Oklahoma, I have ...
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Obamacare is socialist nightmare
Editor, The Transcript: And now for the rest of the story… “Obamacare, Another Entitlement Nightmare.” The recent St. Louis Post Dispatch editorial reprint illustrates the sophistry that characterizes the liberal mindset now grasping the ...
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Pipeline not really that great
Editor, The Transcript: This responds to the letter from Bruce Kessler, which was printed in The Norman Transcript on Monday, Jan. 30. The letter makes plain that Bruce Kessler opposes President Barack Obama’s decision to block the ...
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Not economic suicide for all
Editor, The Transcript: The commentary “Avoiding a catastrophic war with Iran” published in the Norman Transcript on Jan. 21 made a worrisome observation: “Another war would destroy America’s painful recovery from the indebtedness of two ...
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Support helps provide safety
Editor, The Transcript: On behalf of Food and Shelter, I want to thank our community and the city of Norman for continually supporting the homeless and less fortunate. Your support for homeless services helps provide a place of safety and ...
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Another Library Vote? Good grief!
