Budget Reductions for 2023-24

February 7, 2023
Re: Budget reductions for 2023-24

Dear UNCG Leaders,

Thank you for your budget reduction scenarios and the many discussions we have had about them and their implications. After a comprehensive and holistic review of all budget reduction scenarios and informed by our discussions, I have made the final decisions on 2023-24 permanent reductions required for units within Academic Affairs (AA), Student Affairs (SA), and the Office of Research & Engagement (ORE). These decisions were shaped by the following considerations:

• Unit level leadership recommendations, with consideration of the impacts of and adjustments to overall operations that will result from the reductions;
• UNCG strategic framework and priorities (integrated student success, enrollment management, areas of distinction and growth, research/scholarship/creative activity and community engagement goals);
• A focus on strategic rather than across the board reductions, resulting in differing reduction percentages across colleges/schools/academic affairs administrative units; and
• Impacts on revenue generation and student credit hour production.

The table on the following page details the reductions by schools/colleges and administrative units reporting to the Provost. Other divisions across UNCG are also engaged in budget reduction exercises, and their permanent reductions will be determined and announced by leadership from those divisions.

In the spirit of transparency, I encourage you to work with your faculty and staff to communicate the amount of reduction needed in your areas. The distribution of reductions across AA, SA, and ORE will be posted on the Provost Office’s website and shared with Faculty Senate Executive Leadership.

Please begin your work of implementing the permanent budget reductions. Staff in the Provost’s Office will reach out with additional guidance (e.g., reporting template and timeline) as we work with the Division of Finance & Administration to put these reductions into place. Any unit leader who wishes to make minor adjustments to the reductions described in their unit’s plan should contact me in advance for approval of proposed revisions. If your plan includes any reduction in force, please work with Human Resources to ensure appropriate process and notification requirements are met, and I encourage you to meet in person with affected individuals to share the decision.

Thank you again for your leadership and thoughtful process in considering reductions. Please continue to emphasize and support our focus on student success and retention and consider what actions and initiatives you might pause or stop doing altogether to ensure reasonable workloads for faculty and staff.

As we engage in these challenging times of change, enrollment declines and budget reductions, it is helpful for me, and I hope for you, to remember the life changing impact faculty, staff, and administrators have on our students’ lives and the significant contributions faculty make to our communities and disciplines through their research and creative activities. We will continue to do so as we navigate the changing educational landscape.

Please contact me or Senior Vice Provost Alan Boyette if you have questions.

Sincerely,

Debbie Storrs
Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor