University of Missouri to phase out Printing Services; stores to stay open

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The University of Missouri has decided to shutter its printing services operation within a year.

A couple of dozen workers will lose jobs, a university spokesperson said, most of them full-time.

"We do want to make it as easy as we can to ensure that they find either another job, that they transition into retirement easily or that they transition out of the university in a very smooth, uninterrupted way," said university spokesperson, Christian Basi.

According to a news release, MU officials decided that the business model for printing services was not sustainable because:

• Revenue has declined by nearly 50% in the past 10 years.
• Cost of goods and operations is expected to increase.
• Pieces of key equipment needing repair would put a cost burden on the operation. For example, a saddle stitching machine is in need of repair for its control panel. The repair could cost as much as $60,000; replacement of the machine is estimated to be as high as $500,000. 
• Staffing is continuing to decrease.

University mail services, which is based out of the same building as printing services, will remain untouched.

MU officials also expect to make adjustments to university retail stores while operating them in-house, the release states. University Stores includes The Mizzou Store, Tiger Team Store, Missouri S&T Store, UMKC and UMKC Health Science bookstores and the UMSL Triton Store. The stores sell textbooks, supplies and university merchandise, among other items.

"We wanted to make sure that we did capture all of the appropriate information, all of the necessary information to make a decision that was in the best interest of the university, is a very long in depth process," Basi said.

The printing services are separate from the University of Missouri Press, which was at the heart of a battle over potentially closing more than a decade ago.

Check back for updates to this developing story.