UNC Asheville Chancellor Anne Ponder has called upon the campus community to work together to ensure the University's core mission of teaching and learning in the face of new and significant state budget cuts for the 2008-09 academic year.

The 2 percent budget cut for all state agencies, announced last week by Governor Mike Easley, follows an earlier 0.6 percent state budget cut for campuses in the University of North Carolina system. The two cuts total just over $900,000 for UNC Asheville.

UNC Asheville is also setting aside funds in preparation for possible additional cuts in January 2009.

"The nation is facing an uncertain economy and North Carolina is not immune. The Governor and the General Assembly have a constitutional mandate for a balanced budget and UNC Asheville will do its part," said Chancellor Ponder.

UNC Asheville does not plan to eliminate any positions at this time. "At a small liberal arts university such as ours, faculty and staff relationships with students are what sustain our vital learning community. When it comes to our mission of teaching and learning, people are our most important resource," Ponder said.

The Chancellor and senior administrators together will work with department and program leaders in their divisions to reduce budgets in a manner that maintains UNC Asheville's student learning and student services. In addition, all faculty and staff are being encouraged to share further ideas that can result in cost savings for the university.