News from	Michael D. Chason Director of Public Relations ABAC 30, 2802 Moore Hwy Tifton, GA 31793-2601 Phone 229-391-5055 Fax 229-391-5051 mchason@abac.edu

For IMMEDIATE Release August 17, 2009

Furloughs Ahead for ABAC on the Square

TIFTON-Six furlough days are ahead for faculty and staff of Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College on the main campus in Tifton and the ABAC on the Square location in Moultrie.

To help meet a state budget reduction for the University System of Georgia brought about by reduced state revenues, the Board of Regents approved six furlough days for all personnel in the System on Aug. 12. All colleges and universities in the System were also asked to submit budget cut proposals of four, six, and eight percent.

The six ABAC furlough days will account for approximately $344,000, which will be more than half of the four percent ABAC budget cut. The possible 4, 6 or 8 percent cuts for ABAC amount to $569,000, $853,000, and $1.1 million.

Because of the furloughs, ABAC's main campus in Tifton and ABAC on the Square in Moultrie will close at 3 p.m. on 12 Fridays this fall, beginning Sept. 25. Both locations will also close all day on Nov. 25 and Dec. 24. An additional furlough day will be taken at some point after Jan. 1, 2010. All furlough time will occur when classes are not in session.

ABAC President David Bridges said the possible budget reductions would come on top of the 12 percent already cut from the ABAC budget.

"We had approximately $1.9 million cut from last year's budget which carried over to this year's budget," Bridges said. "Additional budget reductions will come on top of the funds we have already lost."

Cost-cutting measures include reducing library acquisitions, reducing travel budgets, relying more on part-time faculty, not filling vacant positions, deferring building maintenance, reducing the equipment budget, and implementing an energy conservation plan.

"We are in the process of an academic restructuring plan which will allow our academic programs to perform more effectively," Bridges said. "That is a part of our budget reduction plan as well."

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