UT Tyler approves buyouts for 99 staff, aiming to save $9.6 million
Ninety-nine UT Tyler employees accepted voluntary buyouts, a move projected to cut $9.6 million from the campus budget while salary increases are on hold.
UT Tyler launched a voluntary separation program in late May, sending offers to 752 eligible staff members and setting a July 16 deadline. Thirty faculty and 69 staff members accepted, receiving a lump-sum payout based on tenure and forfeiting any legal claims against the university. The initiative, costing $3.6 million this year, is projected to save $9.6 million and help keep tuition affordable.
The campus, which saw enrollment rise to 11,362 students, faces a $12 million operating deficit, more than double the shortfall a year earlier. Personnel expenses are a major factor, with projected costs climbing to $135.5 million. Similar buyout efforts are underway at UT Arlington and the University of North Texas, driven by funding cuts and reduced international enrollment. State officials have barred tuition hikes for the 2026-27 academic year.
