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Budget forecast remains cloudy "Holding firm." That's how Robert Shelton senses the mood on the Carolina campus as employees face the latest round of state budget constraints. The Carolina community is being tested, but "everyone realizes that we are facing common budget difficulties, and people are avoiding self-serving actions and acting for the benefit of the University as a whole," said Shelton, executive vice chancellor and provost. Earlier this month, the state enacted emergency measures to close a projected $1.5 billion shortfall in this year's budget. Those moves included freezes on state-supported hiring and travel not critical to instruction as well as cancellation of purchase orders for goods that have not been received unless they're classroom materials. In other moves stemming from the bleak budget, the University has cancelled the 2002 Tar Heel Bus Tour and delayed building a video board at Kenan Stadium. A recent decision to close Horace Williams Airport was made in part to save money. As bad as this year looks, things could even be worse next year, when the state expects a budget gap of up to $2.5 billion. The UNC system's Office of the President has asked system schools to submit 2002-03 budget-cut scenarios of as much as 5 percent. A permanent cut at that level would be "significant" for Carolina, Shelton said. "Because we are an institution heavily invested in people, there would be the loss of positions," he said. "Depending on the mix of uses of state funds in different units, we would see the loss of both staff positions -- some filled, resulting in layoffs, and many unfilled -- and numerous unfilled faculty positions." Shelton said the actual number of layoffs will be difficult to identify until unit leaders make decisions about how to handle the reductions. For staff positions, he said, the number could go as high as 300, but many of those would be unfilled so savings would be realized without layoffs. "For faculty positions, we could lose some faculty whose fixed-term contracts have ended," Shelton said. "Otherwise, we would give up funds associated with unfilled faculty positions. This last category of funds will affect people since the funds in many of these unfilled positions are used to support graduate teaching assistants and visiting lecturers." Shelton said he predicts cuts of 5 percent to 10 percent but does not expect to have a precise number until the 2002-03 state budget is completed. That uncertainty is hard on everyone, he said. "Perhaps the greatest stress factor is the lack of definitive budget numbers so we can make hard decisions and know the outcome." Despite the bleak picture now, Shelton said Carolina's long-term prospects look good. "In the immediate climate of budgetary shortfall, it is difficult to take the long view of our situation," he said. "Our faculty, with support from staff and students, continue to increase their success rate in securing extramural funds. Friends of the University continue their generous giving to support our scholarly activities. "And of course, we continue to draw on the funds provided by the bond issue as part of our commitment to the voters of the state." Shelton said it's important to remember that these funds can't be used to offset budget reductions, as the University received them for facilities needs. Details online For
details on how to interpret the state's measures to balance the 2001-02
budget, see www.ais.unc.edu/bfhome/finance/guidelines
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