UW braces for 600 layoffs; deeper state cuts could mean 800 lost jobs

The University of Washington says it will need to cut 600 jobs under the budget proposed by Gov. Chris Gregoire — a number that could rise to 800 if lawmakers make deeper cuts.

Responding to a request for information from two state senators, UW President Mark Emmert wrote in a letter that such cuts would have a "significant impact on the university's ability to provide high-quality educational opportunities for our state's citizens and on our long-standing capacity to create jobs and fuel economic growth."

Sens. Derek Kilmer, D-Gig Harbor, and Rodney Tom, D-Medina, asked the UW to consider two scenarios — Gregoire's proposed 13 percent cut in state funding and a larger, 20 percent cut. With the economy continuing to deteriorate, lawmakers are bracing for deeper cuts than those proposed by Gregoire.

State lawmakers are facing a budget deficit that could top $6 billion over the next two years.

In an interview, Emmert said that under the first scenario, about 400 administrative and 200 teaching jobs would be cut. Beyond that, he said, most additional cuts would come from the ranks of instructional staff because the administration would be so thin.

The smaller cut would result in several hundred fewer students being admitted to the UW annually, Emmert said. The larger cut would require a phased-in 15 percent reduction in undergraduates.

The UW employs close to 30,000 full-time staff, making it one of the largest employers in the state. Many work for the UW Medical Center or Harborview Medical Center, which are funded largely through insurance reimbursements and other payments and won't be directly affected by the state cutbacks.

About 5,700 professors, administrators and others rely directly on state appropriations for their paychecks.

The UW may not wait for the final state budget to begin layoffs, Emmert said. Because of the university's shrinking endowment — down from more than $2 billion to $1.6 billion — the UW Foundation could cut about 50 jobs over the coming weeks and months.

"People make up the majority of the budget. What we do is very labor intensive," Emmert said. "There's not a lot of money to be saved in other areas. We've already been reducing budgets in any way that makes sense."

Emmert said he doesn't yet have specifics on what programs or instructors might be cut. The university's deans are working with department heads to try and minimize disruptions inside the classroom, he said.

The UW says the proposed cuts would impact everything from research to libraries. Students could expect longer waits when applying for admission or registering for courses.

Nick Perry: 206-515-5639 or nperry@seattletimes.com