WASHINGTON -
The University of the District of Columbia is asking for $21 million from the District government to implement its right-sizing plan.
Mayor Vincent Gray said he was in the process of looking at the plan but was not ready to endorse it.
"Of the $21 million, $11 million will be reallocated from the existing appropriated capital budget to support relocation costs," according to the report. "The remaining $10 million will support employee separation and other right-sizing related costs."
The Board of Trustees right-sizing plan would likely involve layoffs, the relocation of the community college campus, and a major push to attract more students. University President Allen Sessoms says the plan is to cut over $14 million from funding currently supplied by the District taxpayers. Currently the District gives UDC $64 million a year in funding.
"We need patience and acknowledgement that there must be an implementation window to allow right-sizing," says the report. "The University will not change overnight. The process of change will be the Board's singular overriding focus informing all decision points."
The report also outlines additional efforts to recruit students to the university. It will also take a close look at faculty and management positions.
"We must acknowledge that the growth in faculty and staff positions is less in academic areas than it is in the executive, administrative and managerial areas," the report says. "In fact, when comparing the University with the national average, we find that we are 88% higher than the national average for all employees and 315% above the national average for administrative, executive and managerial staff."
LINK: University of the District of Columbia Right-Sizing Plan
