The director of UNO Press, the University of New Orleans’ ambitious, nationally regarded book publishing venture, will lose his job in the current round of state-mandated budget cuts for public universities in Louisiana. Bill Lavender, the New Orleans editor who led the UNO Press to national prominence, has lost his job amid state-mandated budget cuts at the University of New Orleans. Professor Bill Lavender, who also led UNO’s Low Residency MFA and Creative Writing Program, confirmed on Friday that his position at the press has been eliminated. Lavender was the sole employee of the press, which he operated with a staff of four graduate assistants. News of his departure spread on the internet Thursday as authors and students began a petition drive in support of the ousted writer. Lavender also lost his position with the university’s writing program for MFA students who did much of their work online and met with faculty during brief, intensive residencies.
http://www.nola.com/books/index.ssf/2012/08/visionary_director_of_uno_pres.html
