Creative Services office ‘doing some analysis’ to reduce debt

Staff members in IU’s Office of Creative Services are facing the possibility of layoffs. Officials said they couldn’t give a number for potential layoffs if they were to happen, but Creative Services Director Marcia Busch-Jones said the office currently employs 35 staff members.\n“It’s premature to say exactly what we’re going to do,” said JT Forbes, associate vice president for Public Affairs. “We’ve been doing some analysis to reach a decision. We will reach those decisions soon and meet with the staff to explain the direction we’re going to take and the specific actions it requires.”\nCreative Services is one of five offices under Public Affairs and Government Relations, according to the office’s Web site. It is comprised of people who do promotional work for the University, Busch-Jones said. \nPotential layoffs might happen as soon as July 1, according to a source who wished to remain anonymous due to job security concerns.\nBusch-Jones said “layoffs are the last resort” as Creative Services continues to talk with the University Budget Office and Financial Management Services to “reset the business plan to continue to achieve success,” she said.\n“Success, in my mind, involves continuing to serve the University – to provide the creative services to support the University and all of its units, departments, schools and offices,” Busch-Jones said.\nThe staff member said the potential layoffs would result from an “upper-level management issue.” Creative Services is, however, dealing with debt, Forbes said. Busch-Jones also cited the inability to reach expected income this year as a problem.\n“I walked into a situation where an organization had half a million dollars in debt. I’m trying to take responsibility and address the situation,” Forbes said. “We have to work out of the debt and you have to reduce costs to do that. We have to live within our means.”\nCreative Services is, in fact, looking at a number of options.\n“Among the options would be reducing the amount of office space because the rent is high, reducing the other expenses in the office, asking some staff to commute for part of the time, increase the amount of work we bring in, increase the fees we charge and reducing the number of staff,” Busch-Jones said, adding that increasing fees is the second-to-last option.\n“We don’t believe it’s appropriate to raise rates to the point where campus services can’t afford our services,” Forbes said.\nForbes also said Creative Services will be as “open and transparent as possible.”\n“It’s really important that people understand where we are: needing to have an organization that’s viable while retaining as many talented people as we can,” Forbes said.\nUltimately, Creative Services will continue to operate.\n“I’m very proud of this office. We do the best work available in the area and we have the most talented people,” Busch-Jones said. “Our rates are about half of what commercial firms charge ... There will be no relaxation in our standards and the quality will still be there.”