Hiring freeze leaves 55 jobs open at UNT

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Could the hiring freeze impact Wren's ability to make organizational changes within his department?

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A state-sanctioned hiring freeze implemented by Governor Greg Abbott has affected 55 vacant positions at UNT since the law went into effect on February 1.

The freeze will go through the end of August and has affected UNT facilities the most, with 15 jobs currently unfilled in that department. Beverly Cotton, associate vice president for budget and analytics said the university follows the law.

“We comply with what our state needs us to do,” Cotton said. “It has been tough but we are making it happen.”

The freeze which was introduced to the Texas House of Representative on January 10 quickly passed the legislature preventing state institutions from posting new jobs or filling vacant ones. David Reynolds, associate vice president for facilities, said the freeze has forced his department to make some changes to their work.

“The freeze has forced us to change up some schedules,” Reynolds said. “And slow down some projects.”

How UNT is dealing

UNT is balancing the vacant jobs it needed to fill with non-state funds, like student tuition money and waivers mainly aimed at UNT’s summer programs. Cotton said these actions are “critical” in filling some of the more necessary positions. 

Cotton added she does not know what 2018 will mean for these positions. The hiring freeze will end September 1, when state institutions will again be allowed to begin hiring for unfilled positions. But she said nothing is official if Abbott signs off on legislation that will extend the freeze around mid-June.

Right now UNT has just under $1 million as of February 1 in legislative spending authority. But the university is not allowed to touch those funds until the end of the freeze.

Unfilled job descriptions

The unfilled positions in facilities are for five maintenance workers, four technicians, two supervisors, two construction specialists, one utilities manager and one assistant director in facilities.

 

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