The University of Texas at Arlington is cutting jobs to decrease its 2011 budget.
The school is offering buyouts to about 250 non-faculty employees to meet the 5 percent general revenue budget reduction required by all state agencies and universities, UTA President James D. Spaniolo said in a letter to employees.
UTA plans to pay eligible employees $20,000 or half of their yearly salary as of May 31, which ever amount is more, Spaniolo said.
Eligible employees will have 65 days to consider the offer and submit a separation agreement, a university employee told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. The university needs 247 employees to accept the buyouts.
"Budget reductions are never easy, and our current situation is no exception," Spaniolo told the newspaper.
The buyouts should save more than $9 million from next year's budget.
On or before Aug. 21, employees and their supervisors must agree on an acceptable date for the employees to leave or retire for the buyout to qualify, Spaniolo also said in his letter.
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However, other plans may be implemented to save costs, Kristin Sullivan, a UTA spokeswoman, told the Star-Telegram. UTA staff members have been asked to limit the amount of overnight traveling and senior administrators have not received a pay raise this year.
The university is also reviewing some open job positions to see if the duties can be combined rather than hiring more employees, Sullivan told the newspaper. In addition, the university hopes to consolidate some spending with new energy contracts.
The university does not expect all eligible employees to take the offer, and some in critical positions may be retained, Sullivan told the Star-Telegram.
UTA tuition and fees for the 2011 school year will increase from $8,544 to $8,882, and future plans for 2011-12 will be increased to $9,292, according to the Star-Telegram.
Get More: Fort Worth Star-Telegram
