Advisory: Information about possible furloughs at the University of Kansas

(UPDATED 06/06/2015 at 12:20 p.m.) The media advisory below has been updated to reflect the most current data on "essential" and "non-essential" employees. That data continues to evolve as KU refines its plans for a possible shutdown furlough beginning Saturday, June 6 at midnight. Those numbers would likely continue to change during a shutdown, depending on the circumstances and duration of a shutdown.)

LAWRENCE — The University of Kansas is preparing for potential furloughs of non-essential employees if the Kansas Legislature fails to pass a budget by midnight on Saturday, June 6.

The university began notifying employees Friday, June 5, whether they would be considered “essential” or “non-essential” for the purposes of keeping minimum necessary services and functions in operation.

On the Lawrence and Edwards campuses, 5,270 employees (57 percent) will be considered non-essential for the purpose of this potential furlough. For KU Medical Center, approximately 1,087 employees (27 percent) will be considered non-essential. Overall, 6,357 employees (48 percent) would be furloughed. That number would likely evolve depending on the circumstances and duration of the state government shutdown.

Information on how these determinations were made for the Lawrence and Edwards campuses is available at statefurloughs.ku.edu. Information for the KU Medical Center is available at kumc.edu/kumcfurlough.

In a universitywide message sent Wednesday, Chancellor Bernadette Gray-Little emphasized that “use of the terms ‘essential’ and ‘non-essential’ for these purposes has nothing to do with the value of an employee or position to the university. These decisions are made for the simple purpose of keeping minimum necessary services and functions in operation.”

The university is still developing plans to implement furloughs in a way that protects core services and basic operations. The Lawrence campus has already determined that summer classes will start as scheduled Tuesday, June 9, and proceed without interruption during the summer.

At the medical center, administrators will look to protect student education, time-sensitive research and clinical care.