Some jobs eliminated, others created at UNC General Administration

A reorganization of UNC’s General Administration is under way, with the elimination of 25 jobs at the UNC system offices to make way for new positions.

The changes are being implemented after a $1.1 million study of the UNC system’s 276-employee organization by the Boston Consulting Group, at the direction of the new president, Margaret Spellings. The consultant’s review was funded by an unidentified anonymous donor.

Spellings has said the changes will be revenue neutral. Of the 25 job cuts, eight people will be laid off and have already been notified, according to Joni Worthington, vice president for communications. Six jobs will be transferred to UNC campuses, four temporary jobs will end and three people will be transferred to other open positions. Four vacant positions will be eliminated.

“Every effort was made to keep layoffs to as small a number as possible and to reassign individuals to other positions or duties where feasible,” Worthington said.

Jobs are also being created with $2.5 million achieved through the cuts. General Administration will include three new divisions – external affairs, finance and budget, and strategy and policy. Two new high-level positions have been established by Spellings, including a senior vice president for external affairs and a senior vice president for strategy and policy. Those hires have not been announced.

The chief of staff role is being redefined, Worthington said. The former senior vice president and chief of staff, Kevin FitzGerald, recently retired.

The BCG report found that while individual campuses are excelling, “the UNC system lacks a clear sense of direction and a unified purpose.” The document offered 15 recommendations, including expansion of UNC’s external affairs to “provide a powerful voice for the system” and the creation of “a lean strategy and policy unit focused on system priorities.”

The system’s strategic plan developed under former President Tom Ross was akin to “a Christmas tree,” board member Champ Mitchell said Thursday. The plan will be revised and refocused to five major priorities: access; affordability and efficiency; student success; economic impact; excellent and diverse campuses.

This story was originally published April 14, 2016 at 3:34 PM with the headline "Some jobs eliminated, others created at UNC General Administration."