Inside Iowa State: Iowa State University

INSIDE IOWA STATE
October 26, 2001

ISU Photo Services will close next month

by Anne Krapfl
ISU Photo Services is closing, effective Friday, Nov. 16. The closing, announced Oct. 11 by university relations director John McCarroll, is due to a declining financial situation and is not a direct casualty of July or anticipated mid-year budget cuts.

At one time, Photo Services was a university-financed unit, but by 1993 it had been converted to a cost-recovery unit. Under that structure, it has struggled to operate with a balanced budget, McCarroll said. Particularly, university budget cuts in the past two years and the likelihood of further cuts appear to be prompting some units this year to eliminate or at least delay photo projects.

The cuts have diminished the ability of university relations to subsidize Photo Services. For example, last fiscal year, university relations provided $20,000 to Photo Services.

The closing eliminates five jobs: three Merit and two P&S positions. "I am extremely proud of our five photo service employees. They are talented and dedicated," McCarroll said.

Decisions about what photo service functions might be transferred elsewhere in the university haven't been made yet. McCarroll said he is studying several options, but the possibility also remains that some or all services will be eliminated.

"We're examining all the services that have been provided, but there's no guarantee those can or will be picked up by others in the university," he said.

At 5 p.m. Nov. 16, the service counter in the Communications Building will close, which means the end of film and supply sales, and film and print processing. Faculty, staff and students who need studio or location shots taken should continue to contact Photo Services until otherwise advised. Questions may be directed to McCarroll, 4-6137, jmccarol@iastate.edu.