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Bain Final Report

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Chancellor Holden Thorp narrates the final report from Bain & Company, the global consulting firm that has been helping the University look for ways to streamline operations and be more effective. The chancellor outlines a series of potential strategies and discusses how the University will assess those proposals and determine plans for implementation.

[Printable PDF highlights of the Bain report] 14 pages (Scroll to read Chancellor Thorp's commentary and the report slides)
[Printable PDF of the full Bain report] 107 pages
[Opinion-Editorial from the Chancellor]
[Message from the Chancellor]

Bain Interim Report (April 2009)

Please download the Adobe Flash player to watch this video. Or use the link below to download a PDF of the presentation.

Chancellor Holden Thorp and Ritch Allison, partner with Bain & Co. and a UNC alumnus, narrate this interim report about the global consulting company’s work with the University. Bain is helping the University look for ways to streamline operations and be more effective.
[Printable PDF of the presentation]

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Messages from Chancellor Thorp

• 9/3/09 - Message to Faculty and Staff: Campus Budget Update
• 8/17/09 - Message to Faculty and Staff: Campus Budget Update
• 7/24/09 - Message: Professor Templeton to Lead Bain Study Response
• 7/21/09 - Message: Video Highlights of Final Bain Study
• 7/1/09 - Message to Students, Faculty and Staff: Campus Budget Update
• 6/2/09 - Message to Faculty and Staff: Campus Budget Update
• 4/24/09 - Message to Students, Faculty and Staff: Bain & Co. Interim Report Now Featured on University Budget Web Page
• 3/19/09 - Message to Faculty, Staff and Students: Budget Update: 5% State Budget Cuts for Next Fiscal Year
• 3/1/09 - Message to Students, Faculty and Staff: University Budget Page Update
• 2/20/09 - Message to Carolina community
• 2/12/09 - Message to students, faculty and staff
• 1/22/09 - Message to faculty and staff
• 1/12/09 - Message to students
• 1/8/09 - Message to faculty and staff
• 11/6/08 - Message to faculty and staff
• 11/6/08 - Message to students

Recent Budget Communications

• 1/12/10- "Budget Planning Process 2010-2011" (Memo from Interim Provost Bruce Carney to Vice Chancellors, Deans, Associate and Assistant Provosts, and Directors of Centers and Institutes)
• 1/11/10- "2009 Annual Financial Report Now Available" (Memo from Richard L. Mann, Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration to Deans, Directors and Department Chairs)
• 1/4/10- "Tar Heel Temps Announcement" (Memo from Associate Vice Chancellor for Human Resources Brenda Malone to Deans, Directors and Department Heads Business Managers Human Resource Facilitators)
• 12/14/09 - "Budget Planning Process 2010-2011" (Memo from Interim Provost Bruce Carney to Vice Chancellors, Deans, and Associate and Assistant Provosts) Note: To view the excel forms mentioned in this memo, please visit the following links: Form A Budget Request 2010-2011 Template Form B Budget Reduction Template December 2009
• 8/28/09 - "2009-2011 Appropriations for Salaries" (Memo from the State Personnel Director to State Agency Heads including University Leaders)
• 8/17/09 - "Lifting of State Freeze on All State Funds Including State Receipts" (Memo to Vice Chancellors, Deans in Academic Affairs and Health Affairs, Associate and Assistant Provosts, Directors of Centers and Institutes, AHEC Director, Other University Directors, Department Chairs and Division Heads)
• 8/14/09 - Allotments for FY 2009-10 (Memo from the State Budget Director to Department Heads and Chief Fiscal Officers in State Agencies)
• 8/6/09 - Budget cuts to impact services (Memo to Deans, Directors and Department Chairs from Van Dobson, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Facility Services)
• 7/24/09 - Governor’s Executive Order (Establishing Budget Management Restrictions for State Agencies for Fiscal 2009-2010. See Related UNC Information Under Emergency Budget Guidelines.)
• 7/10/09 - "Budget Cut Targets Distributed to Campus Units" (Context and Summary of 10 Percent State Cuts By Unit Following Up Chancellor Thorp's July 1 Message to Campus)
• 7/1/09 - "Continuing Budget Authority for the 2009-10 Fiscal Year" (Memo from the State Budget Director to Department Heads and Chief Fiscal Officers at all State Departments, Institutions and Agencies)
• 6/15/09 - "Lifting of State Freeze on All State Funds Including State Receipts (Effective July 1, 2009)" (Memo to Vice Chancellors, Deans in Academic Affairs and Health Affairs, Associate and Assistant Provosts, Directors of Centers and Institutes, AHEC Director, Other University Directors, Department Chairs and Division Heads)
• 5/20/09 - "Information and Guidance re: EPA Non-Faculty Appointments" (E-mail to Deans, Directors and Department Heads HR Facilitators)
• 5/4/09 - "Revision to Layoff Policy" (E-mail to Deans, Directors and Department Heads HR Facilitators)
• 4/17/09 - “Layoff Resource Guides Available” (E-mail to Deans, Directors and Department Chairs)
• 4/2/09 - Research Support April 2009 Issue Now Available (Informational e-mail sent from the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research and Economic Development)
• 3/19/09 - "5% State Budget Cuts for Next Fiscal Year" (Memo to Vice Chancellors, Deans, Associate Provosts, Center and Institute, Directors, AHEC Director)
• 3/18/09 - The Economy and Campus Resources (Informational e-mail sent from the Office of the Chancellor)
• 3/17/09 - Letter from Employee Forum Executive Committee to Chancellor Holden Thorp and his wife, Patti (Thank you for the Thorps' contribution to the Employee Assistance Fund announced in February)
• 3/10/09 - Important Recovery Act Funding and News in the Research Support March 2009 Issue (Informational e-mail sent from Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research and Economic Development)
• 3/2/09 - Presentation at Employee Forum Community Meeting
• 2/27/09 - "Submissions Used for University Response to President Bowles’ Request for State Budget Impacts at the 3%, 5%, and 7% Levels" (Submissions used for campus response.) [See the 1/14/09 post to view the summary.]
  Note: These documents were redacted by the University’s Public Records Officer to protect confidential personnel information. These scenarios were prepared as part of an exercise for preliminary planning purposes in fiscal 2009-2010 and don’t reflect actual decisions that have been made. Campus units are funded from a variety of sources. These documents reflecting potential state cuts show only part of the total picture.
• 2/27/09 - "Final Agreement Between the University and Bain & Company, Inc." (Letter to Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration Richard Mann from Vice President Richard Allison of Bain & Company, Inc.)
• 2/27/09 - “The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Efficiency and Effectiveness Project: Scope of Work, February 2009” (Bain & Company, Inc.’s description of study plans.)
• 2/27/09 - "Additional Budget Cut," (Memo from Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost Bernadette Gray-Little to Vice Chancellors, Deans, Associate Provosts, Center and Institute Directors, and Director of AHEC)
• 2/26/09 - "Addendum to Budget Control Environment Memo" (Memo from Bernadette Gray-Little, Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost Richard Mann, Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration)
• 2/13/09 - "Budget Control Environment" (Memo from Bernadette Gray-Little, Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost Richard Mann, Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration)
• 2/5/09 - "2009-11 Budget Reductions - University of North Carolina" (General Administration memorandum to State Budget Director)
• 1/30/09 - "Hiring Update" (E-mail from Associate Vice Chancellor for Human Resources Brenda Malone to Deans, Directors, Department Heads, Human Resources Facilitators)
• 1/26/09 - "Effects of Budget Cuts on Purchasing and Travel" (Memo from Martha Pendergrass, Director, Material and Disbursement Services, to University Business Managers)
• 1/15/09 - "Fiscal Year 2008-09 Budget Management" (Memorandum from the State Budget Director to all State Departments, Institutions and Agencies
• 1/14/09 - "Budget Reduction" (University Response to President Bowles' Request for State Budget Impacts at the 3%, 5% and 7% Levels)
• 12/10/08 - "Budget Reduction Options for FY 2009-11 (Memo from Governor Easley to Department Heads and Chief Fiscal Offices at all State Departments, Institutions and Agencies)
• 12/1/08 - "Budget Planning Process 2009-2010" (Memo from Provost Bernadette Gray-Little to Vice Chancellors, Deans and Associate Provosts"

Emergency Budget Guidelines

• 7/30/09 - "New Spending Freeze on All State Funds Including State Receipts," (Memo to Vice Chancellors, Deans, Associate and Assistant Provosts, Center and Institute Directors, AHEC Director and University Directors)
• 7/29/09 - "Emergency Budget Guidelines for Fiscal 2009-2010"
• 7/29/09 - "Report of Special Personnel Exceptions Subject to the July 2009 Budget Management Restrictions Memorandum" - Form
• 4/24/09 - "Revisions to Personnel Section of Emergency Budget Guidelines," (Memo to Vice Chancellors, Deans in Academic Affairs and Health Affairs, Associate and Assistant Provosts, Directors of Centers and Institutes, AHEC Director, Other University Directors, Department Chairs and Division Heads)
• 4/24/09 - "Emergency Budget Guidelines – Amended," (Updated version replacing guidelines issued on April 21)
• 4/21/09 - "Revised Emergency Budget Guidelines," (Memo to Vice Chancellors, Deans, Associate Provosts, Center and Institute Directors, AHEC Director)
• 4/15/09 - “New Spending Freeze on All State Funds Including State Receipts” (Memo to Vice Chancellors, Deans, Associate Provosts, Center and Institute Directors, AHEC Director)
• 4/15/09 - “Additional Fiscal Year 2008-09 Budget Management Restrictions” (Attachment 2 with the memo above; issued by State Budget Director Charles Perusse to State Department Heads and Chief Fiscal Officers)
• 1/15/09 - "Guidelines for Controlling the Filling of Vacant Positions" (Memorandum from the State Budget Director to all State Departments, Institutions and Agencies)

Flexible Furlough Program

• 5/20/09 - "Furlough Implementation" (E-mail to All University Employees)
• 5/7/09 - "Flexible Furlough Program Information" (E-mail to HR Facilitators)
• 5/1/09 - Resources Regarding the Flexible Furlough Program for State Employees
• 4/28/09 - "Clarification on Flexible Furlough Plan for State Employees," (News release, Governor's Press Office) Clarifies provisions for flexible time off in the executive order signed by Governor Perdue.
• 4/28/09 – “Implementation of Flexible Furlough Program for All State Employees” (N.C. Office of State Budget Management)
• 4/28/09 - “Executive Order No. 11, Establishing and Implementing a Flexible Furlough Program for the 2008-2009 Fiscal Year” (Governor Perdue’s Executive Order)
  [Note: The University will share further information about implementation of the furlough program when details are available.]

Related Links

• Office of the Chancellor
• Employee Assistance Fund
• Comprehensive Annual Financial Report 2009
• State Budget Cuts and the UNC-Chapel Hill Workforce (Fact Sheet)
• University Gazette Budget Coverage
• Carolina Counts
• Research Funding at Carolina
• How Facilities and Administrative Funds Sustain Research
• University Funding Sources Over Time
• Universities across the country feel the impact of their budget cuts

Budget News Across the UNC System

• 8/20/09 - UNCG planning for 10 percent budget cuts (The Triangle Business Journal)
• 6/11/09 - Statement of UNC President Erskine Bowles on the draft 2009-11 House budget
• 5/21/09 - Statement of UNC President Erskine Bowles on the draft House budget
• 3/17/09 - President Bowles and the Board of Governors
• 3/26/09 and 3/27/09 - Exchange with Dana Cope, Executive Director, State Employee Association of North Carolina
• Appalachian State University
• East Carolina University
• N.C. Arboretum
• N.C. State University
• UNC-Greensboro
• Winston-Salem State University
• 4/2/09 - NC State official says up to 150 layoffs, fewer classes possible by July 1 in budget cutting (The News & Observer, Raleigh)
• 4/2/09 - Cutting college classes (The News & Record, Greensboro)

Budget News at Other Universities

• University of Illinois

Bain in Higher Education

• 12/2/09- "College undecided on consultants" (The Dartmouth)
• 12/1/09- "Unlike peers, Yale cuts back on consultants" (The Yale Daily News)
• 11/19/09- "U. eschews outside cost cutting advice" (The Daily Princetonian)
• 11/19/09- "Thinking Outside the Box" (Opinion-Editorial Column/The Dartmouth)
• 11/15/09- "Universities Turn to Consultants to Trim Budgets" (The New York Times)
• UC Berkeley and Bain
• 10/2/09 - "Cal bringing in consultants to help cut millions from budget" (The Contra Costa Times)
• 10/2/09 - "Campus Employs Firm To Assess Operations" (The Daily Californian)
• Cornell University and Bain
• 9/2/09 - "Cornell Hires Outsiders to Ease Budget Woes" (The Cornell Daily Sun)

As the global economic crisis continues to affect North Carolina, Chancellor Holden Thorp has pledged to keep the campus community informed about the impact on Carolina and its budget. This Web page is the main place to find the latest campus budget messages from the chancellor, background information, and related communications from the UNC system or state government. Students, faculty and staff are also invited to share their creative cost-cutting suggestions via e-mail at budgetideas@unc.edu

A related long-term initiative is Carolina Counts, the campus-wide effort to carry out the key recommendations in July 2009 by Bain & Company to help make Carolina the most collaborative, well-managed university in the country. Carolina Counts targets the top 10 areas identified by Bain for our major improvements. For details, refer to http://carolinacounts.unc.edu.

We last updated this page on February 9th, 2010.