A Proposal for Cutting the 2011 UNC Budget

A complete copy of this report is available for download as an Adobe Acrobat file compatible with Adobe Reader.

In recent years, expansionist policies have pushed the University of North Carolina system far beyond its natural limits.

The current 2011-13 budget period provides an opportunity to restore the university system to its proper size and role. This corrective action should result in a university that is not only more sustainable financially, but of higher quality and more equitable in its policies.

In this report we outline the six criteria that should be used to determine whether to reduce or eliminate appropriations for UNC.  Following these criteria will ensure that budget cuts lead to better quality and efficiency. They are: 1) reducing excessive costs or excessive growth, 2) improving quality, 3) eliminating politicization, 4) eliminating “mission creep,” 5) eliminating redundancy, and 6) eliminating programs no longer needed due to changing conditions.

The document explains these criteria in further depth, along with some selected examples. Also included is a list of specific recommended cuts.

Additionally, the Pope Center has created a comprehensive list of UNC centers and institutes,  many of which can also be cut.

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Download PDF file