RALEIGH (AP) ó A university official says North Carolina State could lay off as many as 150 people by July 1 and cut 2009-2010 class offerings by 3,000 seats because of state-mandated budget reductions.
University Provost Larry Nielsen said departments on the Raleigh campus already are trimming costs, The News & Observer reported Thursday. The university expects a 5 to 7 percent budget cut for the fiscal year that starts in July.
Officials already told 31 employees last week they will lose their jobs, said Charles Leffler, vice chancellor for finance and business.
Leffler said if the university has to make a 5 percent cut it would mean 75 people in all will lose jobs. A 7 percent cut would total 75 to 150 jobs.
“We’re trying to find the balance between the realities of the budget and the best learning environment we can offer,” he said.
Nielsen said cuts have been planned for a while to avoid bad decisions made in a panic.
The adjustments will include faculty members teaching more classes and classes increasing in size.
Nielsen said the 3,000 classroom seats to be cut are about 1 percent of current offerings. The chancellor said the university is trying to protect its teaching mission and classes needed for graduation.
Faculty members are waiting to see what will happen.
“I think everyone realizes class sizes are going up and they’ll have to teach more sections, and I don’t think anyone is saying universities should be exempted from what everyone else is suffering through,” said James Martin, chairman of the faculty senate and a chemistry professor.
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Information from: The News & Observer, http://www.newsobserver.com