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UF Trustees Approve $47 Million Spending Cut
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Published: May 15, 2008
GAINESVILLE - The University of Florida's governing body unanimously approved $47 million in budget cuts Wednesday that will result in reducing enrollment and laying off some faculty.
The Board of Trustees largely approved the plan released last week by President Bernie Machen and made only minor changes during a telephone conference call meeting.
The proposal calls for laying off about 14 faculty members and 118 staff members, leaving 290 empty positions unfilled, reducing research and reducing enrollment by 1,000 students a year for four years.
At Machen's request, the trustees made some changes to the $5.9 million reduction to the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.
Instead of eliminating some doctoral programs, the university will prevent new admissions in the next three years. It also reduces the number of layoffs from 17 staff and 16 faculty to 13 staff and 10 faculty, two of whom are visiting professors.
None of those being laid off are tenured faculty members.
The University of Florida is the state's largest public university, with about 52,000 students and about 5,285 faculty.
The resolution approved Wednesday allows Machen to make some changes to the proposal over the next 60 days as long as they do not affect revenue.
UF's general revenue budget is $69 million less than it was a year ago. That includes $22 million in cuts made in October by the Legislature and $47 million made by lawmakers for the coming year.
Student Carlos Torres complained to the trustees during Wednesday's meeting about the decision to eliminate $580,000 in funding for the UF Documentary Institute in the College of Journalism and Communications.
School officials have said they hope to fund it through private donations. The institute is a two-year graduate program to teach students to produce films.
His complaints drew little response from the trustees.
"We know we are facing difficult times. Economic times require difficult decisions," said Dianna Morgan, chairman of the board.
Trustees also expressed concerns that the 6 percent budget reduction would result in faculty departures after two years without any raises.
Trustee Joelen Merkel expressed fears faculty would leave for other universities.
"I am concerned and distressed," she said.
Trustee Steven Scott said that the University of North Carolina continues "to recognize us as a fertile recruiting ground."
He asked Machen to address the problem at the June meeting of the board.
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Reader Comments
Posted by ( WenMark ) on May 15, 2008 at 6:10 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
Unbelievable. Just when we should be investing in education. Our Universities suffer from layoffs.
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Posted by ( wilsonb224 ) on May 15, 2008 at 10:25 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
Say thank you Amendment One. I do like the idea of some non-essential local and state jobs being eliminated, but our $250 a year savings is hurting our essential and important jobs as well, i.e. law enforcement, fire rescue, education. $250 less for each home owner does not seem like it would hurt much, but it does when multiplied by all the homeowners. These budget cuts are due mostly to Amendment One, not our lagging real estate situation.
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Posted by ( flea ) on May 15, 2008 at 12:49 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
With all the jobs lost, hope the $250 in property tax savings to all you "yes" voters covers what it is going to cost you in the increased crime. Shoplifting alone causes an increase in cost to every shopper.
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