The Triad’s business community relies on the region’s University of North Carolina campuses for a range of activities ranging from technology transfer and licensing to professional development programs that will feel more pressure from continuing state budget cuts. Learn more here.

Getting a handle on the ebb and flow of the state budget dilemma literally depends on who is talking. One thing is sure, whatever decision is finally made thousands of state workers will feel the effects. Click here for more information.

UNC President Tom Ross issued a statement Thursday, June 2, related to the state budget proposal from the state senate saying, “ We are grateful that the cuts applied to the University of North Carolina in the 2011-13 state budget passed today by the Senate are significantly less than those found in some earlier versions of the budget.  The Senate budget assigns net cuts to the University of $407 million.  Throughout this economic crisis, the University has committed to work in partnership with our state’s leaders and to do our fair share to help North Carolina weather the long recession.  We have honored that commitment.

It is important to recognize, however, that with these latest reductions, the University will have received more than $1 billion in budget cuts over a five-year period.  That will make it all the more difficult to absorb cuts of the magnitude in this budget while continuing to provide an affordable, world-class University education to our citizens.  While the Board of Governors, our chancellors, and I will do all we can to manage through this situation in a way that minimizes any negative consequences for our students, our campus operations will be directly impacted.  Students will contend with circumstances that include fewer faculty teaching fewer classes, as well as fewer staff providing needed support services.  Although tuition rates continue to rise and 60% of our in-state undergraduates depend on need-based financial aid, state funding for our Need-based Financial Aid Program will decline next year.  That is a huge concern.  All of our institutions are struggling to do more with less, but to help lead North Carolina out of this recession, we must continue to prepare our students for the jobs of the future, to conduct critical research, and to engage with businesses and communities to improve lives.   Going forward, all of us associated with the University will continue to be strong partners with our Governor and the General Assembly to invest again in the future of our young people while leveraging and building upon the state’s past commitments to our public University, which remains the economic engine of the state.”

North Carolina legislators continue to struggle with issues. Here is more information concerning the state budget for your consideration.

Nigel Alston

Dear WSSU Alumni and Friends,

The North Carolina state budget process is well under way and the ongoing negotiations taking place in Raleigh will have a significant impact on WSSU and the entire UNC System. In our continuing effort to keep you informed, important information is posted to the WSSU blog, RamPages. I hope you will use this website to read updates pertaining to the state budget and how it will affect our university.

Currently, the N.C. House and Senate have both issued their proposed budgets and are hopeful that a final budget will be sent to the Governor shortly. While we cannot predict the outcome of their discussions or the Governor’s position on what she receives from the General Assembly, we do know that this is going to be a very challenging budget cycle for WSSU.

As the process moves forward in Raleigh, we will do our best to provide you with information on the latest developments. Once the process has concluded, our budgetary decisions will be based on the University’s priorities that support our goal of remaining a strong, vibrant university that is committed to serving our students and the community in which we live.

Thank you for all that you do for WSSU.

Nigel D. Alston
Executive Director for Marketing, Alumni and Community Relations

The state budget remains a concern for taxpayers and state employees alike. Here is the latest from the North Carolina Senate. Check out the document that lets you compare what the Senate is proposing compared to the House.

A few initial highlights of the Senate PCS to H200:
·        Enrollment fully funded

·        Building reserves funded

·        ($434.5 million) Management Flex Reduction

·        (19 million) UNC Hospital Subsidy

·        No cut to Coastal Wave Energy Research

·        $1 million NC A&T/UNC-G Joint School of Nanoscience and Nanoengineering

·        Total funding for scholarships in each year for Need-based financial aid is same. Proportion of lottery, escheats, and General Fund is different.

·        No cut in first year for Academic Common Market and a lower cut in the second year at ($970,747)

·        No cut to Graduate Student Tuition Remissions

·        No cut to Nonresident Tuition Waivers

No amendments will be considered in subcommittee today.  The full Appropriations Committee will meet tomorrow to amend and vote.  Second and third readings will be on May 31st and June 1st.

It’s hard to believe, but North Carolina legislators and top education leaders are actually discussing the possibility of curbing access to UNC system institutions in light of the budget woes plaguing the state. To learn more, check this out.

FROM:   Gerald Hunter, Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration/CFO
Recently, it has come to my attention that there is some confusion regarding departmental spending and travel authorization.  The purpose of this communication is to advise budget managers that consistent with annual year-end close-out practice and procedure, departmental travel budgets have been collapsed at the Vice Chancellor level.  [...]

More than 3,200 jobs, 9,000 classes to be lost
By Daniel Wiser
The N.C. House appropriations subcommittee on education released a budget proposal Tuesday, reducing the University system’s budget for the upcoming fiscal year by $483 million. The system has lost more than $600 million in state funding in the last four years. Last year’s $128.4 million [...]

Q1)            Does this mean we are through with budget cuts on campus?
A)    I wish we could give you a definitive answer, but we cannot.  Until we know what the final budget will be from the State and from GA, we cannot say.
Q2)            What happens to the people whose jobs are eliminated?
A)    Depending on their category [...]

Over the past several months I have made every attempt to keep you updated on the situation with the on-going fiscal crisis facing the State of North Carolina.  We have, in fact, scheduled another budget update forum for faculty and staff this Friday at 1 p.m. in K. R. Williams Auditorium and there is [...]