In a letter to campus on Wednesday, Chancellor Rebecca Blank notified employees that UW–Madison will implement additional expense reductions, including employee furloughs, in response to the unprecedented impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on university finances. The cost-saving measures include campus-wide furloughs, leadership pay cuts, a Work-Share program, position-specific furloughs, and possible reassignments. The measures will take effect no earlier than May 15 and continue through October 31, 2020.
The latest cost-cutting steps are estimated to save up to $30 million toward the more than $100 million estimated shortfall the university is facing. The actions follow other budget reductions, including canceling new program investments, a travel freeze, changes to infrastructure project schedules, and redoubling efforts to enroll a strong freshman class.
In her email to campus employees, Chancellor Blank stressed that the health and safety of our community is the university’s t0p priority. She expressed gratitude to all UW-Madison employees for their important role in the campus response to the COVID-19 pandemic, with a special thank you to those working onsite in essential capacities to preserve campus operations. The full text of the chancellor’s message can be viewed online and has been translated into multiple languages.