The University of Evansville has announced furloughs and salary reductions as it deals with the economic impact of the pandemic.
In a release, UE president Christopher Pietruszkiewicz said efforts to reimburse room and board for students who were sent off campus have totaled about $2.3 million in refunds.
He said those efforts and other factors have consumed university resources and prompted some “difficult decisions.”
Pietruszkiewicz said those decisions include temporary furloughs and reducing salaries through July 25th.
He said the intent is to minimize the impact on employees and use the resources of available government stimulus to support the staff.
UE estimates about 100 employees will be furloughed, meaning they’ll have a period of unpaid time off work.
The university says it will continue to provide full benefits to furloughed employees.
Administration and staff, including athletics, will see a temporary salary reduction on a scale starting at 5% for salaries greater than $54,000.
The reduction will increase the more an employee earns.
Pietruszkwicz said he will take a 20 percent salary reduction.
The measures also include extending UE’s COVID-19 Leave Policy until May 8, freezing nonessential travel through the 2020 – 2021 fiscal year, implementing a hiring freeze for nonessential staff, and suspending the University’s contributions to retirement and trust accounts for the 2020-2021 fiscal year.
