Amid reports of a budgetary shortfall, Piedmont University announced this week it is laying off some faculty and staff.
In a Zoom meeting with employees on Wednesday, Piedmont University President Dr. James Mellichamp announced an 8% cut to current staffing, sources say.
According to several people familiar with the meeting, Mellichamp said the college’s finances are down due to lower than expected enrollment. Approximately 30 staff and faculty are expected to lose their jobs, mostly new professors and, seemingly, mostly in Piedmont’s Humanities Department.
Those being laid off may be able to keep their jobs through the end of this fiscal year, although Now Habersham has not been unable to confirm exactly when the cuts will occur.
Dr. Mellichamp would neither confirm nor deny specifics of the plan, saying in an email to Now Habersham, “We don’t provide that information. I can tell you that we are realigning staffing to better conform with our student population.”
Piedmont has undergone expansive growth in the past several years, closing a deal in 2019 to buy 80 acres of land bordering its Demorest campus and opening a new multi-million dollar campus building in Athens in 2021.
In addition to its many expansion and building projects, Piedmont has been embroiled in a number of high-profile lawsuits in recent years. It is unclear what, if any, impact these lawsuits have had on the institution’s financial situation.
