Alaska governor halves ¡®severe¡¯ university budget cut

Alaska governor Michael Dunleavy pulled back from six?weeks of brinkmanship over 바카라사이트 state¡¯s university system by cutting almost in half a threatened $135 million (?112 million) budget reduction and agreeing to spread it out over three years.

The?, providing 바카라사이트 University of Alaska major relief as it was preparing for widespread firings and consolidations, is part of a broader climbdown by 바카라사이트 governor from drastic statewide budget cuts that he?announced?in late June.

Alaska gives its governor broad authority to slice budgets approved by 바카라사이트 legislature. But Mr Dunleavy¡¯s actions, in cutting more than $400 million in state spending to bolster an annual oil revenue dividend payment to Alaska¡¯s residents, prompted widespread protests and an effort to recall him from office.

At a news conference announcing his reversals after weeks of stubborn insistence on 바카라사이트 cuts, Mr Dunleavy conceded political reality. ¡°You have to listen to 바카라사이트 people your budgets are impacting,¡± 바카라사이트 Republican said.

The original plan for $130 million in cuts, representing 41 per cent of state funding for 바카라사이트 16-campus university system, led 바카라사이트 University of Alaska¡¯s board of regents to declare financial exigency, giving it 바카라사이트 right to make quick spending cuts, including laying off tenured professors.

The board also voted to move forward with a plan to consolidate 바카라사이트 system¡¯s three universities and 바카라사이트ir 13 community campuses into a single accredited university, with many duplicate programmes facing elimination.

The president of 바카라사이트 Alaska system, James Johnsen, had bemoaned 바카라사이트 announced single-year cut of 41 per cent as devastating. But he also?told?온라인 바카라 that 바카라사이트 university system ¨C with main campuses in Anchorage, Fairbanks and Juneau ¨C was significantly bigger than Alaska¡¯s current population justified, and he admitted that some significant spending reduction over a longer time period could be warranted.

The plan signed by Mr Dunleavy and 바카라사이트 chairman of 바카라사이트 regents, John Davies, calls for cuts of $25 million in fiscal year 2020, $25 million in 2021, and $20 million in 2022, for a cumulative reduction of about 20 per cent.

The agreement does not require 바카라사이트 Alaska system to proceed with plans to consolidate itself into a single accredited institution, though Dr Davies said that option remains his preference.

The smaller budget reduction does, however, mean that some 2,500 UA employees will no longer face a requirement of 10 days of unpaid leave, Dr Davies said.

The $70 million cut over three years remains ¡°a serious reduction¡±, Dr Johnsen said. The extended timeline would allow 바카라사이트 changes to be made ¡°more methodically, with less impact on students¡±, he said.

Talks between Mr Dunleavy and university officials ¡°began in earnest¡± after 바카라사이트 30 July regents¡¯ meeting where 바카라사이트 board?voted?to move ahead with 바카라사이트 campus consolidation plan, 바카라사이트 governor¡¯s office said in a statement.

The sides ¡°met multiple times¡± to consider alternatives to what 바카라사이트 governor¡¯s own??called his ¡°severe, one-year budget cut anticipated for this year¡±.

paul.basken@ws-2000.com