UW-Green Bay extends, expands employee furloughs to almost 700 employees; will begin to reopen campus July 1

GREEN BAY - The University of Wisconsin-Green Bay will expand and extend employee furloughs through December, but reopen its campuses July 1. 

Chancellor Michael Alexander on Thursday extended furloughs for 227 employees that began April 24 and expanded the cost-cutting measures to another 470 employees, bringing the total number of faculty and staff impacted to 697. The current furloughs,  which exempted faculty and other nine-month employees, have saved an estimated $250,000; the extension and expansion will save another $826,000.  

"Unfortunately, it has become apparent that we must take some preventative measures to be able to better ensure the long-term health of our institution," Alexander told campus staff. "These are painful decisions, particularly because of the immense work that everyone on this campus has done to put us on solid financial footing before COVID-19."

RELATED:UW System leader calls for academic cuts, layoffs, online advances to survive in post-pandemic worl

University officials said the coronavirus pandemic and emergency orders to shelter in place hit at a time when UW-Green Bay anticipated another enrollment increase this fall.

In October, UW-Green Bay's enrollment was 8,098 students, its largest number of students ever. The four UW-Green Bay campuses reported a combined enrollment of almost 8,800, a 3.4 percent year-over-year increase.

The cuts have been necessary as the university struggles with financial losses that include refunding housing payments and a state requirement to return $1.4 million of state appropriations to UW-Green Bay to the UW-System to help build a reserve fund in anticipation of a loss of state income tax revenue. Revenue from on-campus programs and sporting events has also dried up as the campus shut down to halt the spread of the coronavirus. 

The full campus shutdown, at least, appears poised to end this summer: Alexander said all four campuses will reopen July 1 to allow staff to prepare for the fall semester. 

"We will still encourage telecommuting where possible and will have protocols in place for those employees working on site, but will lift general restrictions on faculty and staff on campus," Alexander said in a media release. 

Contact Jeff Bollier at (920) 431-8387 or jbollier@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @GBstreetwise.