U. of Tennessee System Announces Layoffs for the Future

Unlike many states, Tennessee is reserving more than $300-million of its education stimulus money from the federal government to fill gaps in the 2011 budget year when its economy may still be flagging.

So where does that leave the University of Tennessee system in 2012, when the stimulus money runs out? For starters, the university has already identified 300 staff positions that it plans to cut and 200 more that will remain unfilled, according to a news release from the system.

In addition, the jobs of two vice presidents are being cut immediately and the title of vice president will eventually be dropped from five other positions, Jan Simek, the system’s acting president, told the university’s Board of Trustees.

“At the end of this period, UT will be a different university than it is now,” Mr. Simek was quoted as saying in the news release. “We will be leaner and more efficient.”

He said the system would spend the next two years, trying to help affected workers find employment outside the university. —Eric Kelderman