Carter Sets Cautious Financial Tone For University

Newly appointed president Ted Carter set a tone of financial caution for the University of Nebraska Friday. Giving his own one month assessment of the School at a meeting of the Board of Regents, Carter said the cost cutting and consolidation efforts of the past few years will not be abandoned.

“Every dollar saved is one less dollar we need to charge our students and their families in tuition, and one less dollar we need to find from academic programs” Carter said.  He complimented his predecessor and the budget reduction teams of the past two years, saying “you’ve done impressive work to become more efficient and effective, and I will tell you we will never stop looking for ways to make the best possible use of every precious dollar Nebraskans entrust to all of us.”

Carter was hired to replace Hank Bounds, who announced his resignation last spring and left the job last August.  The former head of the U.S. Naval Academy, Carter succeeded interim President Susan Fritz.  Bounds commissioned budget reduction efforts that included Department consolidations and layoffs.

Carter said no more layoffs are planned, but added “for the time being I’ve decided that any growth in the University’s ranks will occur in our classrooms, our labs, our fields, and offices of our campuses.”  He did not exempt his own office.  “Effective today, and at least for the next biennium, there will be no net staff growth at Central Administration.”

Carter made it clear that the cost cutting and consolidation efforts of the past few years will not be abandoned when more resources become available.

“It is my belief that as we go through this current process, we at Central Administration need to live within our current staffing means.”