UI: Furloughs for 2,600 will save $1.2 million

BOISE — The University of Idaho plans to implement furloughs for 2,600 employees during the next four months to save about $1.2 million and help offset shortfalls in state funding for higher education.
University president Duane Nellis on Tuesday announced details of the plan, which dolls out furlough days proportionately to how much employees earn in the current fiscal year.
In a statement, the university said Nellis is exercising expanded powers granted to the presidents of Idaho’s four-year institutions under changes to state Board of Education policies that were approved on Feb. 18.
The board voted to give …

BOISE — The University of Idaho plans to implement furloughs for 2,600 employees during the next four months to save about $1.2 million and help offset shortfalls in state funding for higher education.

University president Duane Nellis on Tuesday announced details of the plan, which dolls out furlough days proportionately to how much employees earn in the current fiscal year.

In a statement, the university said Nellis is exercising expanded powers granted to the presidents of Idaho’s four-year institutions under changes to state Board of Education policies that were approved on Feb. 18.

The board voted to give university presidents broad power to make cuts in a financial crisis, allowing them to make permanent salary reductions regardless of contracts and temporarily reduce wages through furloughs.

Public universities and colleges are scaling back more than $30 million in current spending to help offset state revenue declines.