http://pulse.ncpolicywatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/UNC-Budget-scenarios.pdf
According to the UNC System contingencies obtained by NC Policy Watch, Chancellor Gaber informed the System Office that the University could probably not survive a worst-case Coronavirus scenario, defined as a 50% drop in student enrollment. I’m a bit shocked we’d take the worst hit of the bunch.
I read it as, once the school year starts and planning to be at 100% and taking on all the costs day 1… an unexpected 50% decrease would be very extreme and def would need cash infusion. I don’t think I see it being out of the norm. If half of your people go away… something no bueno.
Is it shutdown or shutdown if no cash infusion? Why wouldn’t state assist in at least the temporary during a pandemic. We’ll be fine. Play football.
The state’s got a budget shortfall and the feds ain’t helping.
From quick Google:
North Carolina: The Fiscal Research Division and the Office of State Budget and Management reported April 2020 revenues were $1.2 billion or 31.5% below expectations.The state projects a revised forecast of $1.64 billion below, or 6.6% under-collection for FY 2020. (Published May 22)
clt says we have record enrollment this fall.
Can’t shut down/restrict businesses and not expect revenue, thus tax decreases. Not a Federal problem, but a problem of the states.
The federal government exists to support all of the states in common needs. My point was that our universities shouldn’t expect money from the state because the money isn’t there.
I need more context to believe such an extreme implication. The idea that this virus will be a constant curse for he extended future is shortsighted. Sometimes such things are implied to jockey for additional future tax money. For sure, after many many years of constant growth in sizes and budgets, our universities will finally be forced to do what private sector business have to do on a regular basis, which is to cut expenses and overhead when revenue cannot justify keeping them at the same levels. That means pay cuts, hiring freezes, layoffs, reduced services…the kind of things that most of our universities seem never to address when they could just generate more tax/fee revenues.
I’m not saying there isn’t fat to cut in the UNC system but Republicans in Raleigh have cut funding ever since they’ve been in power. Faculty retention and staff turnover have been a constant issue due to a lack of funding. I think everyone is hoping for the best but preparing for the worst.
This is how I read it too. With kids in the dorms and more testing frequencies, that is a shot across the bow that the University education machine must keep on rolling. Kids should be expected to test positive at increasing numbers. More vulnerable students, faculty and staff should be accommodated, as necessary and feasible, but they cannot shut the entire campus down again. If they can keep on keeping on, a post election vaccine world should restore some normalcy in 2021.
I am sure there is much fat that could be trimmed, but doing so disrupts the social model of the system and opens the constant annual increases in spending and funding requests to higher scrutiny beyond 2021.