UW-Superior Announces Early Retirement Buyouts

Chancellor: Program Will Help Manage Anticipated Budget Cuts

The University of Wisconsin-Superior has a new tool that school officials said will help manage millions in budget cuts.

The university has rolled out a voluntary separation incentive program that employees would need to qualify for.

If selected, university employees 55 and older would agree to retire in exchange for a one-time payout of half their base salary.

“It is my hope that by beginning now with this voluntary separation incentive program, we can be prepared to make the decisions that might be required before July 1, 2015 and allow the entire campus community to have certainty about our direction as we move forward,” said Dr. Renee Wachter, the university’s chancellor.

UWS anticipates about 78 employees will be eligible for the program.

UW-Eau Claire has also recently implemented the program.

Nearly 87 percent of UWS’ budget goes toward salaries.

UWS was forced to make difficult budget decisions following Governor Scott Walker’s proposed $300 million in cuts to the UW-system.

Wachter said the university must continue planning for a reduction that could be as much as $2.3 million beginning July 1, 2015.