The University of North Carolina Wilmington has taken a number of steps to address significant budget reductions it is anticipating for the upcoming biennium. One of those steps includes reassigning some employees, whose jobs otherwise would have been eliminated from a reduction in force (RIF), to positions that have become vacant over the past several months.
"We care deeply about our employees, and we don't want them to lose their jobs," said Chancellor Rosemary DePaolo. We also care about the economic effect these job losses would have on the region, and keeping our employees helps to strengthen the region's economic recovery." Although some positions were eliminated as they became vacant over the past several months, others were held open as administrators tried to match the skill sets and experiences of employees, who would have been RIF'd, with the qualifications identified in those open positions.
"Despite the hardships it created on departments to keep these positions open, we nevertheless felt this was the best way to minimize the impact of a reduction in force," said DePaolo. As reassignments take place over the next several weeks, supervisors from departments that are losing employees and supervisors from departments that are hiring these employees will work together to insure a smooth and successful transition.
Reassigning employees is not the only initiative UNCW has implemented to address the state's budget reductions. Faced with $7 million in budget reductions during the past fiscal year alone, UNCW administrations reached out to employees last fall to solicit their ideas to address the budget reductions.
"Our employees offered many outstanding ideas and suggestions to help the university reduce costs and gain efficiencies. Administrators spent significant time reviewing options and identifying solutions," said Charlie Maimone, vice chancellor for business affairs.
In addition to a hiring freeze, other reductions included the elimination of travel and most purchasing. Departments also were asked to work together to eliminate any duplication of services and to cut their consumption of electricity by reducing temperatures during the work day and even more drastically at night and over weekends. As another cost-savings measure, the university instituted summer hours. Employees work Monday through Thursday, from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and with only a half hour for lunch. On Friday, they leave at 11:30 a.m., so that temperatures can be set back for an even longer period of time on weekends. More recently, in an effort to balance the state's budget shortfall, Governor Purdue ordered all state employees' salaries to be reduced by a half percent in exchange for a 10-hour furlough."
"These cuts have been devastating, said Chancellor DePaolo. "Historically, UNCW is one of the least-funded state universities, and the budget cuts we expect for the biennium are on top of the $7 million we already took earlier in this fiscal year." DePaolo went on to applaud the faculty and staff. "The positive spirit that our faculty and staff have maintained during these challenging times is truly a testament to their commitment to this university," DePaolo said.
DePaolo said she is encouraged by the results so far, and she plans to continue efforts to develop scenarios and solutions that address the impact of the state's budget reductions on UNCW. However, she also cautions that the state's budget challenges continue, and further reductions are anticipated. "These are difficult economic times for all of us, and although UNC system administrators and our legislators are working hard to make the best decisions not only for our students, faculty and staff, but also for our state," DePaolo said, "unfortunately, a reduction in force is still possible."
Media Contact:
Joy Davis, UNCW marketing and communications, 910.916.8603 or davisjc@uncw.edu
