Manatee County Schools Budget Cuts

By Jack Stripling
Sun Staff Writer
Tuesday, May 6, 2008

The University of Florida will cut its budget by $47 million this year, resulting in the elimination of 430 faculty and staff positions, UF President Bernie Machen announced Monday. In addition to layoffs and program cuts, UF will begin reducing its enrollment by 1,000 students each year over the course of four years. Of the 430 positions being eliminated, 290 are now vacant. About 20 faculty and 118 staff members will be laid off.

The newly announced cuts come on top of a $22 million state funding reduction UF took in October, meaning the university´s state budget will be $69 million less than it was a year ago. In a plan that required all colleges and units to reduce spending by 6 percent, only UF´s security programs and libraries were spared, according to university officials.

Cuts came across the campus, but UF´s agricultural programs took the biggest dollar blow with $9.5 million in cuts, including the loss of 14 faculty and 96 staff positions.

Several colleges and units will take reductions of more than $1 million:

· Agriculture and Natural Resources (Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences or IFAS): $9.5M

· College of Veterinary Medicine: $1.55M

· College of Medicine: $2.64M

· College of Dentistry: $1.1M

· College of Liberal Arts & Sciences: $5.97M

· Warrington College of Business: $1.47M

· College of Engineering: $3.6M

· Levin College of Law: $1.24M

· Provost´s Office: $1.66M

· Vice President for Development: $1.56M

· Vice President for Student Affairs: $1.92M

· Vice President for Business Affairs: $3.3M

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