True to its original plan, UF will try to avoid more cuts to academic programs when it eliminates the remaining $16.6 million in cuts from its budget this year, UF President Bernie Machen said Friday.
Addressing the Board of Trustees, Machen said the remaining cuts will come from administrative programs, such as sick leave payouts.
While the entire $42.2 million budget cut went into effect on July 1, the start of the fiscal year, UF has used stimulus money to cover the rest of the cut.
Outlining his plan, Machen told trustees that UF could save between $2 million and $4 million if it eliminated sick leave payouts for employees.
Currently, employees who do not use all of their sick days are compensated when they leave UF. Under the proposal, that program would be cut.
Another $2 million to $2.5 million could be saved by redirecting money that would have gone to the alumni program.
Under another proposal, UF would institute a fixed summer pay rate for faculty.
Instead of getting paid the same rate over the summer as they do the rest of the year, faculty would get paid a predetermined rate, which would mean a pay cut for senior faculty members, according to UF's Web site.
Adjuncts, assistant professors and associate professors would also be forced to take over more of the teaching load over the summer.
Machen also said UF will implement a voluntary retirement program for employees over the age of 65, of which UF has about 400. The option would save an unknown amount of money.
All told, UF's current plans could cut up to $8.5 million. The rest of the cuts are still in the air, Machen said.
