Here & Now

UW-Madison orders Furloughs to Cut Costs

Frederica Freyberg:

Last week 11 UW System schools including La Crosse, Oshkosh and Milwaukee announced furlough plans. This week, the University of Wisconsin-Madison ordered furloughs for nearly 16,000 employees in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Right now, all classes are online and all summer programs are cancelled. The campus has been nearly shuttered since mid-March, when the coronavirus outbreak first arrived and many students stayed home. To make up a budget shortfall, faculty and staff are required to take three to six unpaid furlough days during the next six months. Chancellor Rebecca Blank, the provost and other top administrators will take a 15% pay cut. The furloughs and pay cuts amount to approximately $30 million. UW-Madison says it has conservatively estimated losses from the COVID-19 pandemic to be $100 million and will make up the difference by reducing travel, budget cuts and a partial hiring freeze. The chancellor says further expense reductions could be considered as early as this fall. By way of disclaimer, PBS Wisconsin is part of the UW-Madison.