2008 Woodie Awards
State budget cuts spare all university workers
Bridgette Blight
Issue date: 10/16/07 Section: News
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10/16/07 - Gov. Donald Carcieri's plan to combat Rhode Island's $200 million budget deficit should not directly affect the University of Rhode Island, according to the governor's office. Carcieri held a press conference Tuesday afternoon outlining his deficit reduction plan.
According to the governor's office, Carcieri has control over 10,072 of the 15,482 state workers. However, URI employees are not included in the employees under Carcieri's control. The budget for state colleges and universities is the responsibility of the Rhode Island Board of Governors for Higher Education.
While Carcieri's plan is being criticized by union leaders whose members will be affected, the URI faculty are dealing with budget issues as well.
"The faculty contract has been up since June 30, but they are working under the provisions of the old contract," said Dr. Frank Annunziato, executive director of the URI chapter of the American Association of University Professors.
Carcieri announced that he would be cutting 1,000 state jobs in the summer, without specifying who would be affected. He announced the other two aspects of his deficit reduction plan at the Rhode Island Public Expenditure Council's annual meeting on Wednesday, Oct. 4.
The plan involves eliminating 1,016 state jobs, which should save the state $100 million. Reducing benefits for state workers through contract negotiations should eliminate another $50 million and a restructuring of social services provides the other $50 million budget cut.
At the press conference, Carcieri refused to specify how many employees in each department would be affected, as to avoid speculation on who will be losing their jobs. Contractors whose jobs are being eliminated will be notified by Nov. 1, and state employees by Nov. 15.
Despite this, it could take a long time for the job cuts to take place. This is because union guidelines state that a unionized state employee who is terminated has the right to take the job of someone in an inferior position, a practice called "bumping."
According to the governor's office, Carcieri has control over 10,072 of the 15,482 state workers. However, URI employees are not included in the employees under Carcieri's control. The budget for state colleges and universities is the responsibility of the Rhode Island Board of Governors for Higher Education.
While Carcieri's plan is being criticized by union leaders whose members will be affected, the URI faculty are dealing with budget issues as well.
"The faculty contract has been up since June 30, but they are working under the provisions of the old contract," said Dr. Frank Annunziato, executive director of the URI chapter of the American Association of University Professors.
Carcieri announced that he would be cutting 1,000 state jobs in the summer, without specifying who would be affected. He announced the other two aspects of his deficit reduction plan at the Rhode Island Public Expenditure Council's annual meeting on Wednesday, Oct. 4.
The plan involves eliminating 1,016 state jobs, which should save the state $100 million. Reducing benefits for state workers through contract negotiations should eliminate another $50 million and a restructuring of social services provides the other $50 million budget cut.
At the press conference, Carcieri refused to specify how many employees in each department would be affected, as to avoid speculation on who will be losing their jobs. Contractors whose jobs are being eliminated will be notified by Nov. 1, and state employees by Nov. 15.
Despite this, it could take a long time for the job cuts to take place. This is because union guidelines state that a unionized state employee who is terminated has the right to take the job of someone in an inferior position, a practice called "bumping."