The University of Southern Maine has laid off six marketing department employees, school administrators announced Tuesday, but plans to create five new positions.
University leadership said administrators made the decision after a comprehensive review of the current department and strategy.
“How we recruit students has changed drastically over the past decade, and to thrive in the future, our team will need new and varied skills,” Meaghan Arena, vice president for enrollment management, marketing and student retention, said in an emailed statement Tuesday.
Arena said impacted employees were notified early Tuesday.
“They will receive severance, benefits and pay in lieu of notice in accordance with our collective bargaining agreements,” she said.
But Arena said the university will create five new positions, designed to “align our University’s aspirations, new trends in marketing, and the realities of the changing higher education landscape.” She said the new structure will be focused in digitalization, building the university’s reputation, the needs of students and …