GOP proposes $1.25 billion in cuts to UNC system, K-12 education

A proposed 2012 budget introduced in a House committee slashes education programs across the state.

GOP budget writers targeted the UNC system for a 15.5 percent percent cut. Community colleges would take a 10 percent cut and the public schools would see an 8.8 percent reduction.

The cut to public schools would total $694 million. Teacher assistants would be funded only in kindergarten and first-grade classrooms under the House proposal.

Community colleges would be cut by $110 million, and the UNC system would reduced by $448 million.

Under the proposal, university students would be limited to nine semesters of financial aid starting next year. Tuition waivers for graduate students would be cut by nearly $9 million. State funding for students who go to private colleges would be cut by 10 percent.

N.C. State University Chancellor Randy Woodson said a 15.5 percent cut, which would slash more than $80 million from his institution’s budget, would cost an estimated 550 to 700 jobs, including those of up to 200 faculty members.

It also would increase the amount of time it takes to graduate, boosting the number of students in practically every class section taught and reducing the number of sections.

“This would be a large and dramatic change for the entire university system and it would be just devastating to manage,” Woodson said. “I know that cuts are necessary and they have to deal with the problems with the state budget, but this level of cutting would do permanent damage and be difficult for us to recover from.

“There’s no way to cut that much and keep the academic strength of the institution the same,” he said.

A list of detailed cuts is available by clicking "read more."

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Public Schools

• Funds teacher assistants only in kindergarten and first grade classrooms - $259 million reduction
• Textbooks - $79 million reduction
• Support staff - $59 million reduction
• Supplies - $38 million reduction
• Services for at-risk children - $30 million reduction 
• Principals and assistant principals - $25 million reduction
• Transportation - $21 million reduction
• School bus replacement - $20 million reduction
• Instructional support - $23 million reduction
• Merges More at Four preschool program with Smart Start program - $16 million reduction
• Dropout prevention grants - $13 million reduction
• Central office administrators - $11 million reduction

Community Colleges

• Provides $34 million in enrollment growth funding, but requires colleges to cut a total of $44 million
• Raises tuition by $10 per credit hour
• Changes funding formula for some degree programs - $23 million reduction
• Basic skills education - $10 million reduction
• Institutional and academic support - $9 million reduction
• Customized training - $7.5 million reduction
• Eliminates 19 positions in system office
• $1.3 million reduction

UNC System

• Provides $47 million in enrollment growth funding, but requires universities to cut a total of $469 million
• Eliminates subsidy to UNC Hospitals - $44 million reduction
• Center for Public Television - $12 million reduction
• Tuition remissions for graduate students - $9 million reduction
• In-state tuition rates for out-of-state students on scholarship - $6 million
• Limits students to nine semesters of state need-based financial aid starting in 2012-13 Private colleges
• Ten percent reduction to grant program for students who go private colleges - $10 million reduction