Following Gov. Chris Gregoire’s biennial budget proposal for 2009-2011 in December, concerns were raised about how detrimental the impact would be to higher education.

Besides talk of increased tuition rates and reduced student enrollment as a means of combatting the threat of lowered academic standards, employees of the UW are also facing potentially significant cutbacks.

Last week, the UW issued a release estimating that the 2009-2011 budget cuts could result in 600 to 800 fewer university positions.

The estimates were requested by Sen. Derek Kilmer (D-Gig Harbor), chair of the Senate Higher Education and Workforce Development Committee, and Sen. Rodney Tom (D–Medina), the operating budget vice chair of the Senate Ways and Means Committee.

The UW Office of Budget and Planning mapped out the possible scenarios.

“These estimates are fairly preliminary,” said Paul Jenny, UW vice provost for planning and budgeting. “But we won’t know the actual magnitude of job losses until the final budget is reached. They are, however, a strong estimate at this point.”

The job cuts would have a significant impact on many departments at the UW, including research, laboratories, libraries, plant operations and various student services.

“All departments will be impacted,” Jenny said.

Employment cutbacks began well before Gregoire’s proposed budget was announced, however. UW Technology is one example of this, having laid off 70 employees last summer.

“The job cuts are already beginning to take place now,” Jenny said. “We’re seeing reductions in hiring, as well as positions staying open longer, being eliminated or being absorbed by other members in the department.”

In an address to the ASUW Senate last month, UW President Mark Emmert mentioned intentionally leaving various administrative positions open and delegating their duties to other faculty members.

Individual departments within UW Facilities Services seem to be more optimistic about the effects of budget cuts.

“The technology group within Facilities Services is quite small and budget reductions within our group would have little, if any, effect on campus life for students,” said Eric Hausman, director of finance and business services for UW Facilities Services.

In order to combat staff cuts, admission of freshmen and transfer students will likely be scaled back next fall.

“Without these faculty and teaching professionals, we simply would not be able to provide the level of quality education that our existing students expect and deserve,” Emmert wrote in a letter to legislators.

There is no definitive wave of layoffs set to take place — rather, cutbacks will continue in stages to minimize the effects on the university community.

Reach contributing writer Ivan Vukovic at news@dailyuw.com.