ISU, UI, UNI didn’t replace about half of early retirements

More than half of the employees who took early retirement at Iowa State University last year were not replaced.

At the University of Iowa and the University of Northern Iowa, slightly less than half of the employees who took early retirement in 2009-10 were not replaced, according to information that will go to the state Board of Regents next week during a meeting in Iowa City.

The regents in 2009-10 approved two special early-retirement windows for the UI, three for ISU, and one for UNI as part of budget reductions in response to state cuts.

ISU officials said the early retirements provided net savings of $77.5 million. UI and UNI officials didn't provide total net savings, but did say the early retirements are expected to save $16.9 million over five years at UNI and at least $67.4 million over five years at the UI.

At the UI, a total of 428 faculty and staff took the early retirement option, and 180 of those employees were not replaced, or 42 percent. At ISU, 367 faculty and staff took early retirement during the three windows, and 199 were not replaced, or 54 percent. At UNI, 117 faculty and staff took early retirement last year, and 51 weren't replaced, or 44 percent.

The majority of participants at the three universities were staff members. But among faculty who did take early retirement, ISU replaced the fewest. ISU had 45 faculty participate, and 67 percent weren't replaced. UNI had 19 faculty participate, and 58 percent weren't replaced. The UI had 23 faculty take early retirement, and 13 percent weren't replaced.