Nearly 600 employees at Duke University opted to take buyouts through the school's Voluntary Separation Incentive Program (VSIP), the university said in a letter to employees on Friday.
The buyouts were offered in the spring as part of the university’s strategic realignment and cost reduction program. Before buyouts were offered, the university froze most staff and faculty hiring, limited non-essential spending and directed units across the school to refocus on improving efficiency across their operations.
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"As you know, Duke — like many universities across the country — faces actual and potential federal funding reductions in support of our research, teaching and clinical missions. These include dramatically lower research support and increased tax rates on our endowment. We are also seeing tightened visa restrictions on our international students. We have pledged to keep you informed as we navigate this complex landscape," school leaders wrote.
In a letter to employees, the university said that 599 employees accepted the voluntary buyouts. More than 250 eligible faculty members across the university are also considering voluntary retirement incentive offers.
Despite the buyouts, the university said it will still need to reduce its workforce so it can "responsibly support and invest in our important missions."
"We have asked all schools and units to reassess their budgets and identify any further non-personnel expense reductions that can be made," university leaders wrote. "These assessments will determine the scale of involuntary staff reductions, which will take place in August. For those staff who are funded by research grants, reductions in force occur regularly through the year based on availability of research funding."
Impacted employees will be contacted by their managers between Aug. 5 and 19.