Cleveland.com reports Kent State University leaders will use salary cuts and other short-term financial adjustments to tackle a multi-million dollar hole brought on by the coronavirus pandemic.
But, for now, layoffs are not planned.
For the next fiscal year, Kent State will temporarily reduce salaries for employees who make more than $38,000 and who are not represented by a union, according to the measure passed by the board. At the end of fiscal year 2021, university officials will review the salary adjustments to determine if they will continue through fiscal year 2022.
The governor who drew such praise for how he handled the coronavirus outbreak in his state is now taking the axe to public spending. And higher education is losing millions between now and the end of June.
As Cleveland.com reports,
The cuts made by the governor in dealing with coronavirus-related budget issues are a straight 3.8% from original appropriations for each of the 37 schools, data provided by the state said.
They range in dollars from $14.9 million for Ohio State – Ohio’s largest university by far – to $136,696 for Central State.
The story includes a chart of how much each institution will lose.
Remember, these cuts affect operations over the next two months; one can expect further cuts to be announced for the 2020-21 academic year.
The governor’s gutting of higher education comes mere days after Ohio University and the University of Akron announced significant layoffs and program closings. Kent State University’s leaders are expected to announce their cuts later today.
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
