The UNC System president says the state budget could result in the loss of more than 1,500 jobs and the possible cutting of academic programs across the university system.
"As our state struggles to work its way out of this recession, affordable access to higher education has never been more important to North Carolina's economic recovery and long-term competitiveness," UNC President Tom Ross said.
"I am deeply concerned that additional cuts of the magnitude proposed would place academic programs across the University in jeopardy and require the loss of more than 1,500 jobs."
Governor Bev Perdue announced the 2011-13 state budget today, recommending the following three adjustments:
- Eliminate supplemental appropriation for higher education centers in Hickory, Rocky Mount and Onslow County.
- Reduce UNC-General Administration and campus operating budgets by 9.5 percent.
- Implement a one-time $10,000 incentive to those who are eligible to retire with unreduced benefits and a one-time $20,000 incentive to those who are eligible to retire with reduced benefits.
Ross said the additional cuts will adversely affect the quality of education provided to students.
"Given that the University has already absorbed $620 million in cuts and mandated reversions over the past four years, requiring the elimination of over 900 administrative positions," Ross said. "It is simply impossible to absorb further budget cuts without adversely affecting the quality of the academic experience for our students."
Perdue also proposed funding for statewide repairs and renovations, though Ross said the funding is not enough.
"While the Governor has proposed a small pool of funding for statewide repairs and renovations, I am also increasingly worried about the $2.1-billion backlog of unmet R&R needs across the University," Ross said.
He added, "University facilities are valuable state assets, and unless we are provided adequate resources to maintain them properly, we put that taxpayer investment and public safety at risk."
UNC-Chapel Hill Chancellor Holden Thorpe said the university's proactively implemented 5 percent campus-wide budget reduction -- which goes into effect July 1 -- will help maintain the quality of education offered by the university.
"We chose to start enacting the inevitable permanent reductions required in next year's budget now by taking the equivalent of a 5 percent campus-wide cut on our own, effective July 1," Thorpe said. "We'll continue to do everything we can to preserve the quality of the education we provide to students."
Thorpe also said the university's recent tuition increase will generate revenue that would remain on campus to support academics. The governor's budget proposal leaves intact the tuition increase approved by the Board of Governors
Perdue said she decided to keep most of the sales tax on at least through mid-2013 to protect the public schools and higher education from massive cuts to teachers, professors and teaching assistants.
Her budget would protect those current state-funded positions, but shifted an even greater portion of the payments for non-instructional programs -- school buses, central office and worker's compensation -- to the counties and local school boards.
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