University Budget Cuts to Impact 200 UAA Postions

UAA Chancelor sent out an email to the university community today outlining the impacts of a $19 million cut in the budget.   Here's probably the critical line:

"Over the next few weeks, UAA will announce layoffs, reduced work assignments, position reductions and program eliminations that will affect approximately 200 positions, some of which are already vacant."

Here's the whole email:

Dear UAA community,

 

For several months you’ve been hearing about the budget challenges the University is currently facing. As a result of combined operating budget cuts from FY15 and FY16, UAA is dealing with a budget shortfall of about $19.5 million. We know this will impact our institution at every level. Despite these fiscal challenges, our goal, as always, is to provide our students with a quality education.

 

To help reduce the overall burden of these budget reductions, UAA will join UAF, UAS and UA Statewide in a leadership-level furlough beginning in FY16. Officers of the University will receive 10 furlough days; senior administrators will receive 7; non-represented academic leaders will receive 5. This will impact 69 UAA employees, all at the leadership level. Though difficult, these furloughs will help save UAA about $270,000 in operating expenses in FY16.

 

This is the second year in a row that UAA is absorbing cuts to our operating budget. In FY15, we reduced spending, implemented service efficiencies, made alignment improvements through Prioritization and left vacant positions unfilled. With another cut in state funding in FY16—coupled with increased utility costs and unfunded building operations—personnel and programs will be affected. Over the next few weeks, UAA will announce layoffs, reduced work assignments, position reductions and program eliminations that will affect approximately 200 positions, some of which are already vacant. This is the most painful impact of the budget shortfall because it hits at the heart of our community—our people.

 

In FY16, the campus community will see fewer support personnel and/or reduced hours in student services, human resources, information technology, facility upkeep and facility maintenance. Academic units will see increases in teaching loads, larger class sizes, reductions in course sections and a reduction in adjunct faculty positions. Program transformations and eliminations identified through the Prioritization process will be finalized by the end of June 2015. Our focus will remain on quality teaching and research.

 

I know this news seems grim, but we all know that UAA is an amazing university with truly outstanding faculty, staff and students. Difficult times promote creative thinking, and I am confident our community will come together to use this situation to become an even better and stronger university. 

 

I’d like to encourage you to continue to celebrate the amazing things our students, faculty and staff are accomplishing every day. Even in times like these, we are doing incredible work.

 

Sincerely,

 

Tom Case

Chancellor

 

UA Statewide furlough announcement: https://www.alaska.edu/files/hr/hr-procedures/University-of-Alaska-Announces-FY16-Leadership-Furloughs.pdf

Furlough information: https://www.alaska.edu/hr/hr-procedures/furlough/