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GREENSBORO — Friday was the last day of “add/drop” at UNCG and N.C. A&T — that period early in the semester when students can make adjustments to their class schedules without a penalty.

It’s not as stressful as final exams, but this year, it’s running a close second.

The reason: State budget cuts led the schools to cut adjunct faculty members and classroom seats. The result: Gaping holes in some students’ schedules required a lot of last-minute juggling.

Add to that the pressure of record enrollment at UNCG and a surge of new freshmen at A&T, and the registrars’ offices have been packed.

“Those who were pre-registered for classes that are going ahead aren’t having trouble,” said A&T Provost Alton Thompson. “Those who are just having to register for classes now, they’re having to scramble.”

This month, all 16 schools in the UNC system began making 10 percent cuts to their 2009-10 budgets to deal with the decrease in state funding.

UNCG said it will cut more than $17 million from its budget.

A&T expects to cut more than $10.5 million.

The cuts will lead to the loss of the equivalent of 156 full-time positions at UNCG and 71 full-time jobs at A&T .

UNCG will lose 76 faculty positions; A&T, 35.

A&T laid off six staff members shortly after the announcement earlier this month. Both schools have shed adjunct faculty and assistant professors, who teach many lower-level classes.

UNCG estimates the cuts will mean 6,000 fewer seats available in its classes and 200 fewer course sections.

A&T said it will lose about 3,000 classroom seats and about 100 course sections.

At the same time, UNCG enrolled a record-breaking 18,100 students this school year. That number includes 2,600 first-time freshmen and 1,500 transfer students.

A&T enrolled 1,911 first-time freshman this year.

“We had prepared for a 10 percent increase in freshmen,” Thompson said. “We got a 17 percent increase, which is significantly more. But I think we’ve prepared — all the departments, the registrar. We’re handling that increase, even though we’ve had our cuts.”

Deans and department heads at both schools worked through the summer to come up with a plan to combat the cuts. Seats were added to existing classes, and professors agreed to take on more courses. As the new school year moves forward, faculty and staff are hoping it’s enough.

“The point is to give them the education they came here for,” said Kelly Rowett-James, registrar at UNCG. “So if they’re signed up for a class that’s now been dropped from their schedule, we’re working with the deans and the departments to see if there’s another course we can substitute. We don’t want anyone to have to miss out on a required course.”

Both schools are dealing with a glut of courses in early-morning time slots, which are seldom popular with college students. That happens every year, but some students may have no choice this semester.

“I am dealing with my first 8 a.m. course this semester,” said Paul Redford, a senior at UNCG who was putting in his add/drop paperwork Friday. “This semester, it seems like you just don’t have any choice because there are so many people and fewer and fewer class seats. So you do what you have to do.”

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