The budget impasse in the North Carolina General Assembly doesn't just affect statewide issues like healthcare or taxes — it also affects UNC faculty.
The General Assembly has adjourned until April without passing a budget. For the UNC System, that means universities can't pursue major capital projects or infrastructure repairs, enrollment growth will go unfunded — and there won't be any raises for UNC System faculty and staff.
“We’ve done a lot of good over the years in terms of building up our national reputation, and failure to pass this budget, I would say, is devastating to morale,” Kerry Bloom, Thad L. Beyle Distinguished Professor and Department of Biology chairperson, said.
Bloom said the lack of a state budget and the subsequent halt on raises can cause faculty to look for jobs elsewhere. Faculty members may secure other job offers to use as leverage in obtaining a raise, Bloom said.
“In my mind, this is the worst thing that the legislatures can do, which is to just not give us a budget," Bloom said. "They have to give us a budget so we can work. It's the unknown and uncertainty that really wreaks havoc in the system.”


