University of Wyoming Trustees passed a resolution supporting President Laurie Nichols’ efforts to cut $41 million dollars from the UW budget due to falling energy revenues.
UW will eliminate 70 vacant positions and require faculty to increase their teaching load to help meet the shortfall. Faculty have expressed concern that more teaching will take away from their ability to conduct research. Nichols said that comes with the territory.
“We are expecting a little less research or outreach right now while they teach a little bit more, because we have to serve the students. I said in my principal number one that we do not want to have a negative impact on enrollment or the quality of education that students receive.”
Nichols said the University also hopes to save an initial $3 million dollars through an early retirement incentive.
Meanwhile, she will declare a UW financial crisis which will allow her to form a committee that will look at specific program cuts in coming months.
“And what it really lays out is a process by which I as the president can use as we work through reviewing academic programs and other things as we work through reviewing academic programs and other things, as I mentioned structure and organization of the university.”
Nichols also told the trustees that she plans to look to increase tuition and fees as well as find other ways to increase revenue for the University.
