ECSU
Announces Layoffs Required to Address Budget Shortfall
FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE--- To address a $5-million budget shortfall for fiscal year 2013-2014
caused by state funding cuts and declining enrolling, Elizabeth City State
University today announced a reduction in force that will impact 46 employees in
departments across the university. All affected individuals were notified
earlier today that their employment at ECSU will end in the next several weeks.
Earlier this
month, ECSU interim Chancellor Charles Becton and UNC President Tom Ross
informed campus faculty and staff of the magnitude of the budget shortfall.
Because personnel costs account for about 80% of ECSU’s operating expenditures,
the institution’s budget could not be balanced without significant staffing
reductions.
In sharing
news of the layoffs with the campus community, Chancellor Becton said, “In
making painful, but necessary, reduction-in-force decisions, our first priority
has been to protect classroom instruction for students. We evaluated every
school, division, and department to identify potential cost savings. In an
effort to minimize the impact on employees, we first eliminated 41 vacant
positions and discontinued 34 temporary employment contracts. Although we made
no staffing cuts in public safety, given the need to maintain a safe campus
environment, most other areas of the university were affected.”
He added that
impacted employees will be treated with compassion and dignity during a very
difficult time for everyone involved. ECSU has established a Transition Center
where affected employees will have access to outplacement services, employee
transition services, computer resources, and an on-campus job fair. Northeastern
Workforce Development will also be on-site to provide additional services. ECSU
will work with affected employees individually and collectively to support their
efforts to pursue other career opportunities.
“In moving
forward, ECSU must now focus on leveraging our strengths and make the changes
required to operate with reduced staffing levels,” said Chancellor
Becton.
“We are here
for our students, and these staff reductions must not affect the quality of the
classroom instruction and services provided to them. ECSU has served generations
of students, the Elizabeth City community, and the State of North Carolina. The
institution remains academically strong, and as we adapt and rebuild for the
future, we will continue to stand on our core values: Accountability, Diversity,
Excellence and Student Preparation.”
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Kesha
Williams
Director
of Media Relations| University Relations and Marketing
Elizabeth
City State University
1704
Weeksville Rd. | Elizabeth City, NC 27909
Phone:
252.335.3686 | Fax: 252.335.3769
Email: kdwilliams@mail.ecsu.edu | www.ecsu.edu
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