Maryland Will Comply With State's Involuntary Unpaid Leave

As the state of Maryland prepares for a $200 million budget shortfall, University of Maryland President Dan Mote has announced his intention of honoring a possible statewide executive order that calls for state employees to take an involuntary five-day unpaid leave, reports the Diamondback , the university's student newspaper. The furlough will save the state about $40 million. The rest of the deficit will be erased through other budget cuts, some of which will fall on the university.

UM already has enacted a hiring freeze, and "the picture keeps getting worse and worse as the year goes on," said John Blair, the university's budget director.

The details of the furlough have not been decided, but the plan could resemble a tiered structure:

Those making less than $40,000 would have two days off; those making between $40,000 and $60,000 would have four days off; and those who make more than $60,000 would have five days off, Blair said. The university is also considering shutting down completely for one day.