Dive Brief:
- PC World reports on a protest held by roughly 80 former IT workers in San Francisco this week, who say that the University of California – San Francisco is leading a dangerous trend of outsourcing IT services to overseas companies.
- Campus officials say the outsourcing will save more than $6 million a year and the majority of its IT servicing will remain in-house and divided among more than 560 employees.
- Observers say the trend, if upheld by labor and legal systems in the state, could influence other institutions to make similar investments.
Dive Insight:
This could grow to be a substantial problem for IT workers across a variety of institutions, as many schools are looking for cost savings in areas beyond teaching and administration. Ohio State University has launched a partnership with its state government to identify exact measures like this one, which no one would debate could help to increase affordability and access for students, but almost everyone would debate isn't worth cutting jobs and stability for local families.
Other alternatives for cutting jobs, such as reducing energy and materials costs, limiting travel and reducing administrative salary and benefits, are ideal ways to attack growing cost problems while preserving the livelihood of employees.