UNC Chancellor Lee Roberts addresses $70 million cuts as board of trustees meet

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (WTVD) -- The UNC Board of Trustees met for the second meeting this week and on the agenda was the spending plan for upgrades to campus facilities

On Wednesday, university leaders said they've identified about $70 million in cuts amid proposed research funding and budget cuts at both the state and federal levels.

This will mean less spending on catering and procurement consolidating positions which the university says will result in administrative staff reductions and eliminating vacant roles and forming a faculty retirement incentive program.

They will also prioritize enrollment for North Carolina residents by reducing financial aid for out of state students from 44% to 18%.

ABC11 talked with Chancellor Lee Roberts who says they don't take these decision lightly.

"We're doing the best we can in trying to manage through an uncertain fiscal environment, a lot of uncertainty, both at the federal level and at the state level. And so we think these are prudent, thoughtful measures to respond. Layoffs are always the last resort. We'll do everything we can through attrition. We understand how much anxiety an announcement like this creates. And we're going to do our best to make sure that people have as much information as we can provide. As soon as we can provide it," said Roberts.

Planned renovations and constructions were on the agenda that the chancellor says will overall improve their campus.

This includes renovations to Lenoir Hall, Lineberger Cancer Research Center, Neurosciences Research Building, Beard Hall, and the new residence hall.

Chancellor Roberts said plans for new residence halls and upgrades to their student facilities is to help their enrollment growth and funding for the future.

"That will help support our enrollment growth. We have a lot of older dormitories as everyone who goes to school here knows. And so this will be an important step in increasing our capacity and modernizing our capacity. We also announced that we're going to significantly upgrade, renovate and enhance our student recreation facilities, which are pretty badly outdated and overcrowd," he said.