UMES faces state funding cuts

PRINCESS ANNE, Md. – The University of Maryland Eastern Shore is facing funding cuts for the upcoming fiscal year.

We’re told UMES is facing 10% in state funding cuts.

UMES must now reduce its required spending by 7% and roll back anticipated spending by 3%.

That means plans to eliminate all positions that have been vacant for three years or more and a hiring pause – with some rare exceptions.

UMES has also started telework on Fridays which will last through the summer.

School officials say they could also save money by reducing the temporary workforce, as well as using furloughs and routine personnel realignment.

“It would be speculative at this point to try and guess if these measures are affecting enrollment,” said Robert Vickers, Vice President for Strategic Communications & Marketing at UMES. “To my knowledge, we’re looking to have another record year of enrollment growth, knock on wood, so we’re very bullish on what our enrollment will be in the fall.”

University System of Maryland Chancellor Jay Perman put out a video addressing the budget cuts, saying they’re looking at new ways of generating revenue before cutting any personnel.

However, because of the large cuts they’re facing, some universities cannot take these potential cuts off the table.

“Earlier in the week the chancellor released a video message to every member of the faculty and staff at the University System of Maryland, which I think was a bold move and a very necessary move to help people understand that we’re all in this together, we’re not alone and it was very well received, I know on our campus, that the chancellor would step out and connect his concerns about where the university system is financially,” said Vickers.

These cuts impact all University System of Maryland institutions.

That includes Salisbury University, Towson and the University of Maryland, College Park.