State & Public Universities Drain Taxpayer Funds

When states actually have to cut their budgets because they are hemorrhaging cash, guess who still wants more. “As the N.C. General Assembly drops its state budget for 2018-19, North Carolina’s public colleges and universities vie for money to back career and technical education, employee raises, and system upgrades,” Kari Travis writes in The Carolina Journal. “The University of North Carolina and N.C. Community College Systems have in recent months made strides toward a synchronized partnership, collaborating on issues including enrollment, student success, and work force development.”

“Still, come budget season, each education giant must tout its own priorities and compete for a fixed pile of money.” Don’t worry: They’re not getting stiffed. “The budget includes more than $24 million to increase pay for NCCCS faculty and staff,” Travis reports. “Lawmakers also appropriated $4 million to increase retirement contributions for employees.”

“Additionally, the budget funds 2 percent raises — or whatever it takes — to get all system staffers to salaries of $31,200 annually. NCCCS also would collect $2.7 million to boost slumping enrollment. Another $12 million channeled to individual colleges would fund special projects and programs such as career and technical education, training facilities, and equipment.”

As well, Travis reports, “UNC will also see a pay bump for its employees,” specifically, $20 million in cash and another $5 million in retirement contributions.

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