The faculty and staff at three local colleges have already begun or will begin furloughing employees within two weeks, officials said Thursday.
Earlier this month, the state Board of Regents mandated six furlough days this year for employees who make more than $23,660 in the University System of Georgia, which accounts for the Medical College of Georgia and Augusta State University. Augusta Technical College was mandated to impose 2.5 furlough days by its governing body, the Technical College System of Georgia, in July.
The state college systems will save more than $3 million from the unpaid days, but college officials fear declining revenue will force deeper cuts, which will mean more furlough days and possible layoffs.
MEDICAL COLLEGE OF GEORGIA
By Tuesday, MCG department heads are asked to submit their plans for furloughing employees for three days this semester, said Bill Bowes, senior vice president of finance and administration.
"We decided that it was better to let the individual departments decide, so that we can be sure that safety and patient care would not be compromised," Mr. Bowes said.
Many department plans submitted thus far include furlough days near Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day, Mr. Bowes said. The furlough days will save the state about $2.2 million.
The six furlough days will not affect the university as much as the 6 percent cut in the overall state budget, which might increase if tax revenues do not improve.
"We have put plans in place for up to an 8 percent budget, but we are hoping that in the future we won't need to make permanent reductions," he said.
AUGUSTA STATE UNIVERSITY
Augusta State employees will take their first furlough day on Sept. 8, said Dan Whitfield, vice president of business operations. The faculty and staff will take two other furlough days Nov. 25 and Dec. 23. The unpaid days, which will coincide with holiday breaks, will allow the university to reduce $700,000 from its state funds, Mr. Whitfield said.
"The logic is shutting the university down for this extended time to save on cooling next month and heating the days in the fall," he said.
Selecting three furlough dates will be more complicated during the spring semester with fewer holiday breaks, Mr. Whitfield said.
"We may take a day during Masters Week, and take Friday afternoons for the rest of the days," he said.
AUGUSTA TECH
Most Augusta Technical College employees began furloughing half-days this month, said President Terry Elam. They have the choice of which dates to furlough that will equal 2.5 days and about $140,000 in state fund reductions, Mr. Elam said.
"Most of them are choosing to work half-days on Fridays," he said. "If you're going to be taking money from someone, you can at least let them choose the days."
No plans for furloughing have been set for next semester at Augusta Tech or any other college in the technical college system, Mr. Elam said.
"Based on the state economy, the furloughs could continue," he said. "It's either furloughs or layoffs. We believe this is the better option."
Reach Stephanie Toone at (706) 823-3215 or stephanie.toone@augustachronicle.com.
FURLOUGH PLANS
AUGUSTA STATE: Three dates have been set for the fall semester, Sept. 8, Nov. 25 and Dec. 23. The remaining three days will likely be distributed through an unpaid day during Masters Week, the university's spring break, and half-days that will be taken on Friday afternoons. The furloughs will cut $700,000 from the budget.
MCG: MCG department heads will submit their plans for furloughing employees for three days this semester by Tuesday. Each department will select which days best fit schedules without compromising safety or patient care. Plans have not been set for the spring semester. The university will save $2.2 million by furloughing six days this school year.
AUGUSTA TECH: Employees began furloughing this month by taking half-days. The 2.5 days of furloughing will equal $140,000 in savings of state-appropriated funds.
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How aggravating is it that a person goes to school to become a professor and starts getting major pay cuts? Quit spending so much in unnecessary buildings, landscaping, etc, and stop making the students and professors suffer. I attend ASU, and I'm pretty mad we have to take Sept 8 off. College work is already demanding and hard enough without having to skip a day and make it up. And, no, I really don't want to hear, "at least they have a job", b/c if they keep making cuts, no one will have a job. They went to school to become educators who make the money they make. Don't they sign a contract each year that states how much they make? Employees will be reprimanded for breaking a contract, but employers can break the contract that states the salary? It makes no sense to cut education before the spending to create junk. Look at ASU-it's pretty to look at, but there still aren't that many parking spaces. I have to get to school 2 hours before my 1st class to get a space. The amphitheater isn't used that much, and I feel it was a waste of money. They could have left that out of the building plans and not furloughed our professors.
I agree, but somehow the state always win.
mommato, wait until you get out of school and then the hard work starts. Maybe they could furlough some of the checks sent to head start, Section 8, welfare, food stamps and all the other liberal give away programs. If the professors are smart and I am sure they are, they would have put aside money for things that happen beyond everyones control. We will work out of the economic turndown but it doesn't happen overnight. What about taking the lottery money and using it to help the state budget and take it away from education grants. Would that make you even madder? As far as the buildings are concerned, those were put in the budget, contracted for and started long before the economic slowdown. Maybe MCG and the hospital ER rooms could just turn away all the people who do not have money or insurance-That would save alot wouldn't it? The economy is very delicate and things are not always easy to handle. Maybe when you leave school and get a real job and family you will see what you are asking is not always possible.
Mommato2 Maybe you should pay for what you education cost, so your tuition would triple..I pray you are not Finance major.
Don't blame the colleges, blame Perdue.
No, blame all the liberal Dumocrats and Repubicans who for almost a century have been destroying our republic by stealing the compensation of our labors under the guise of "taking care of us". As if.
Well said Mr. Elam, yes let employees choose their days off.
Unfortunately, ultimately the blame lies with citizen voters who continue to elect the same members of the U.S. Congress, the State Legislature, etc. The mentality seems to be that "my legislator" is great...it is those others who spend too much. In reality, when we reach a system where over 40% of the US taxpayers pay nothing in taxes, then of course they want more and more from the government. Same for state governments. So you can't really blame Perdue or any single person. Ultimately, we get the government we elect.
Don't blame Perdue. Blame the federal government. That is where quite a bit of money comes from for the State.
Oh come on.....they are actually not going to pay people not to go to work on the day before Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve. You mean they were paying folks before? Where were they? I've been there on those days trying to get things done and nobody was ever around, but evidently they got paid!! Sounds like a good savings of 700K.