Albany State University and Darton State College are laying off employees following years of enrollment declines that are affecting the schools’ budgets.
The layoffs announced Monday by presidents at both institutions were part of a plan to reduce operating expenses for the fiscal year that began July 1.
Albany State is cutting 80 positions, 48 of which are filled; Darton State is cutting 30 unfilled positions. Employees were informed Monday their their jobs would end Sept. 30. Since 2015 Darton State has cut 20 staffers and maintained a hiring freeze for all but the most critical positions.
From 2011 to 2015, enrollment at Albany State declined 25 percent. Darton State saw a 10 percent decline during the same period. Enrollment is expected to decline again this fall, Richard Carvajal, Darton State’s interim president, said in a news release.
Georgia’s public colleges and universities are currently funded on a formula based on enrollment and the number of credits that students take. Fewer students means less money for a school’s budget. The declines mean cuts in state funding of more than $980,000 this year for Albany State and almost $852,000 for Darton State. With fewer students, the schools will also see an additional $1.5 million reduction in tuition at Albany State and $2 million at Darton State.
The enrollment drops were a factor in the state's University System plan to merge the two schools. The colleges are part of a group of schools that were allowed to offer cheaper in-state tuition to students in states surrounding Georgia. The plan, aimed at increasing enrollment at 15 Georgia colleges, was implemented in fall 2015.
“W are taking action now to right-size both of these institutions to make them stronger for the future,” Albany State president Art Dunning said.
Albany State has a student-staff ratio of 8-to-1, one of the lowest ratios in the University System, where the average is 15 students to one staff member. Cutting staff puts the school more in line with appropriate staffing levels, he said.
In addition to cutting staff, there are also plans to restructure departments and eliminate low-producing academic programs. Employees affected by the layoffs will receive transition assistance and help with financial planning.
