After the scare of possibly taking time off without pay, faculty can now relax and not worry about furloughs with the new budget in place.
Furloughing is defined as mandatory time off without pay. The state had recently questioned if furloughing would be necessary as a way to make up for budget cuts.
“We’ve pretty much ruled furloughing out for the 2010-2011 school year,” said Chuck Wooten, Vice Chancellor of Finance and Administration. “Furloughing normally only fix short term budget problems and does not help out in the long run. Chancellor John Bardo already said he will not use furloughing unless all UNC school systems are required to”.
The state has no real plans to enforce furloughing in its school system and it is almost impossible that WCU will see it happen this year.
Only employees who make over $37,000 qualify for furloughing.
Teachers and professors would only be asked to take a couple of days or weeks off if indeed the furloughing was approved. Many state officials thought that furloughing would be a great way to make up for the Senate’s budget cuts that amount to $70 million. Instead, the school systems will raise tuition in order to make up budget cuts.
But just because Bardo and the state have ruled out furloughing this year does not mean that next year it could not happen.
“2011 could potentially be a tough year financially. We’re uncertain of what could happen after the school year but we’ll have to wait and cross that bridge when we get there,” said Wooten.
