University of Colorado at Boulder Chancellor Richard L. Byyny has announced details of campus budget reductions resulting from a $16.7 million shortfall in state support.
With the latest round of budget cuts, the permanent funding base of state support for CU-Boulder has been reduced by about $30 million in the last 18 months, cutting state funding for the campus by nearly 29 percent. State funds now comprise less than 8 percent of the total Boulder campus budget.
As a result of the latest cuts, Byyny said the campus will be forced to eliminate about 101 positions, resulting in savings of $6.4 million, including: 36 vacant and filled faculty positions, possibly including up to three faculty layoffs;
35.63 full-time-equivalent vacant staff positions;
29.40 filled staff positions resulting in layoffs.
In addition, he said, selected operating budgets will be cut by more than $4.5 million, resulting in decreased service levels and increased turnaround times.
Recent tuition increases approved by the state helped prevent even greater reductions, he said. 聯We appreciate efforts by the governor, the Legislature and CCHE to help preserve a great university by approving increased tuition support. Even with the recent increases, CU-Boulder will remain affordable, accessible and an incredible bargain, with tuition rates well below the average of our peers.聰
To help lessen the impacts of budget cuts, the campus administration will cover nearly $5.8 million of the $16.7 million reduction target through enrollment revenues, overhead revenues from auxiliary units and other actions. However, the remaining $10.9 million in mandated cuts for CU-Boulder must be covered by reductions in departmental general-fund budgets, Byyny said.
Early in the budget process, administrators focused on reductions that were 聯narrow and deep 聳 so that we could help protect and preserve the quality of education, avoiding across-the-board cuts that might damage overall excellence,聰 Byyny said.
Highest priority was placed on maintaining quality in academic programs. To preserve as much funding as possible for academic areas, the budgets for student affairs and administrative units were cut by a larger percentage than academic units, he noted.
As in past budget cuts, the process included regular consultation with members of the campus community, including the Council of Deans, Council of Chairs, Boulder Faculty Assembly committees and leadership, Staff Council, Academic Affairs Budget Advisory Committee, Campus Executive Committee, student government and others.
Vice chancellors were asked to work with their units to propose reductions according to a set of established criteria. They were asked to consider the effects on the campus聮s long-term quality, financial viability, and necessity to basic campus operation. Byyny also asked them to consider using vacant positions and retirements to minimize impacts.
聯Again, we have found that some layoffs are unavoidable,聰 Byyny said. 聯Also, the loss of vacant positions can have a detrimental effect on the campus聮s long-term quality. In addition, some academic programs will be discontinued or reduced as a result of these shortfalls.聰
Thirty-six vacant and filled faculty positions will be eliminated in arts and sciences, music, law, business, engineering, journalism, education and student affairs. Up to three faculty layoffs may be included in that number as the result of program discontinuance in engineering. Savings from cutting faculty positions will be about $3.2 million.
Elimination of 35.63 vacant staff positions will generate savings of about $1.6 million in various schools and colleges as well as administrative areas such as student affairs, facilities management, public safety, budget and finance, university communications and the Chancellor聮s Office.
Staff personnel layoffs will include 29.40 full-time-equivalent positions in arts and sciences, engineering, education, law, information technology, student affairs, budget and finance, facilities management, human resources and public safety. Savings from staff layoffs will total about $1.6 million.
In addition to eliminating 101 positions, the campus will cut more than $4.5 million in selected departmental operating budgets, including reductions in general operating expenses, travel, campus publications, capital outlay, deferred maintenance, student hourly wages and others.
Included in the campus cutbacks are the elimination of the Interdisciplinary Telecommunications Department and Engineering Management Program in the College of Engineering and Applied Science. The two programs will become part of a new center jointly administered by the engineering college and the Division of Continuing Education. Also, the campus聮s cuts include elimination or reductions in six small programs in arts and sciences.
Other impacts of cutbacks include: Restructuring Career Services
Consolidation or elimination of training programs
Reduction in service levels and increased turnaround time for campus support services such as human resources, facilities management, public safety and financial services
Downsizing Ralphie聮s Resource Center, an information source for students
Elimination of the Carillon publication
Reductions in staffing and service levels in student support services such as the admissions, registrar, bursar聮s and financial aid offices
Reductions in custodial and grounds support services
In addition to actions announced today, some campus units may elect to take other reductions, layoffs or position downgrades now or in the future, with resulting savings reinvested to meet campus needs.
Some individuals facing layoffs have chosen to participate in the campus聮s Separation Incentive Program, designed to lessen some of the impacts on staff and the organization. This voluntary program provides financial incentives to classified employees facing layoffs, who may choose to waive their retention rights as part of the layoff process. Byyny said the program will help those directly affected by layoffs as well as reduce the disruption caused by a prolonged 聯bumping聰 process.
In addition, the Human Resources Department will provide information about retention rights for classified staff, insurance continuation, transition support, career decision-making, handling stress and other support services, he said.
聯Despite the current challenges, CU-Boulder聮s future remains bright,聰 Byyny said. 聯We have achieved great stature among public research universities, not through an abundance of resources, but through the accomplishments and dedication of the campus community. CU-Boulder has a long tradition of emerging stronger and better from difficult times.聰
Byyny said he will continue to promote the 聯Quality for Colorado聰 initiative, 聯not as a solution to the current budget cutbacks, but as a means for making strategic investments in a great university.聰
For a summary of budget reductions, see