The House's proposed budget for the state's university system would slash $175 million from the university's budget.
That's a far bigger hit than the Senate's $50 million proposed previously. It's also a larger cut than Gov. Beverly Perdue has recommended.
The House is expected to vote on its budget next week and already Thursday, UNC leaders were sounding alarms.
"We're not as excited about the House budget as we were about the Senate budget," Holden Thorp, chancellor at UNC-Chapel Hill, told his trustees Thursday morning. "There are some very severe cuts."
If approved, the cuts would lead to the elimination of about 1,700 positions across the university system, a far larger total than the 1,200 in jeopardy under Perdue's spending proposal, UNC President Erskine Bowles said Thursday.
"Fully understanding the impacts of these reductions will take some time," Bowles said in a news release Thursday. "In all of our previous analyses, we never imagined that reductions would reach this level."
Even if 1,700 positions are eliminated, fewer workers than that would actually lose their jobs. Universities routinely hold positions vacant to prepare for budget cuts.
Still, Bowles and others have said for months now that cuts at that level will force the elimination of hundreds of faculty positions across the state.
Read Friday's News & Observer for more.
Comments
Wecome to the Recession Academia!
Thu, 05/27/2010 - 20:05 — mike27513Well, to all the happily isolated professors at the state "universities" enjoy some of the - Change We Can Believe In!.Sadly most of the layoffs will be in working class positions that provide infrastructure to the universities.
Now in Year two of the Great Obama Recession and counting as we will be going into the double dip recession after 2010 elections based on forward indicators.Tax revenues will continue to drop as unemployment climbs ever higher. So expect more cuts next year.
Runaway spending, over bearing socialist government policies are turning the US into Greece as Obama doubles the National Debt.
Yes, This is truly the Obama Socialist Utopia.
Sales of club seats and
Thu, 05/27/2010 - 18:36 — GiftponySales of club seats and suites began in October of 2009 and will provide about half the funding of the $70 million project. Private donations will supply the rest of the funds, and the athletic department will not use state funds in the project.
So-no worries-many of the same folks who want to cut education at the classroom level (from local school music programs to "bloated" college classrooms) will still be able to buy their seat and go to "the games". Gotta have the right priorities, it seems.
Giftpony, Next time you
Thu, 05/27/2010 - 19:18 — ashaw80Giftpony,
Next time you are thinking about going out to dinner -- stop, get your priorities straight and send a donation to the State earmarked for the UNC system. Gotta make sure you live as you preach.
It is simple -- your money is yours to spend as you see fit. If folks want to donate to a athletic project and enjoy the benifits --- it is their money to do with as they see fit.
?
Thu, 05/27/2010 - 17:20 — jenuineWill this impact the $70 million expansion of Kenan?
bout time
Thu, 05/27/2010 - 15:07 — FJ2009im sorry but higher education is not a right and the UNC system is bloated with admin and excessive vacancies. Hopefully the GA doesnt back down and this sets the precedent to look at the k-12 budget more closely.