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GREENSBORO — Six N.C. A&T staff members were laid off Monday as A&T and UNCG brace for possible budget cuts.

“We were hoping not to eliminate any filled positions until at least the spring,” said Robert Pompey, vice president for business and finance at A&T. “But with things as they are, looking at a possible 10 percent cut, we thought it would be better to take these steps now.”

Last week, both schools announced plans for layoffs if state lawmakers reduce UNC system appropriations by an expected 10 percent.

Three of the laid-off employees came from Pompey’s own division of business and finance, the other three from academic affairs.
None were teaching positions. According to school projections, the equivalent of 71.25 full-time positions would need to be eliminated, but these are the only six that are currently filled.

The layoffs are effective Aug. 27, which a school spokesman said would give the employees time to look for new positions before the beginning of the semester. The school will provide counseling for the employees, including a program aimed at finding them comparable work in other parts of the university. All hiring has been suspended at A&T except for teaching jobs and positions in health care and public safety.

“It is going to become harder to do our jobs,” Pompey said. “But we’re looking at six positions right now out of more than 2,300 at the university. Right now, we’re just feeling fortunate that it’s not even worse than it is.”

While no layoffs have yet been announced at UNCG, Chancellor Linda Brady said that if the projected 10 percent cut comes to pass, job losses would be inevitable.

UNCG projects it would need to eliminate the equivalent of 156 full-time positions. While only 76 of those would be faculty, Brady said the impact of layoffs and budget reductions in other areas would be felt across the campus.

“While we have tried to protect the classroom, obviously we’re worried about the impact on our infrastructure, like information technology,” Brady said.

The budget for equipment, software and IT staff training would be cut by $408,334. Academic affairs information technology would be cut by $294,253 and desktop support services by $76,818.

That means staff and faculty already struggling with outdated computers likely would have more trouble getting their computers fixed or network problems solved. Purchasing of new equipment has been frozen in departments throughout the university.

Students would notice nonclassroom cuts as well.

“In areas related to student success like academic advising, the counseling and testing center, we’ve had to make some really tough decisions,” Brady said.

UNCG Provost David Perrin said that while these reductions would be less public than laying off faculty members, students returning to campus next month would notice them throughout the year.

“Students will notice it’s harder to get classes and that there are more classmates in those classes with them,” Perrin said. “But they might also find it a little more challenging to get the technological support they need, that services in the library are reduced and other nonclassroom things they’ve counted on are gone.”

Alumni face changes, too. Alumni career services, which helps place the school’s alumni in jobs, would be cut for a savings of more than $30,000 — or one part-time career adviser position.

“That will mean UNCG alumni will not be able to get the kind of assistance they got in the past,” Brady said. “Obviously in the current economic climate, that’s not something we’re happy about. It’s one more way we’re able to serve our students, now our alumni, less.”

Contact Joe Killian at 373-7023 or joe.killian@news-record.com