Budget cuts force ULM layoffs -Stephen Largen, News Star

State budget cuts forced the University of Louisiana at Monroe earlier this summer to lay off and offer early retirement to a significant number of maintenance and repair workers, the university confirmed Friday. A spokeswoman for ULM said the university was not prepared Friday to release the exact number of physical plant employees affected by the layoffs and retirements because officials with more details on the reductions were in Baton Rouge for a meeting of the University of Louisiana System Board of Supervisors. The physical plant is an organizational division under the office of the vice president for business affairs whose staff is responsible for the maintenance and repair of all campus buildings, building equipment, vehicles and grounds.