Ga. Regents to vote on furloughing employees

ATLANTA - The state Board of Regents is expected to vote on whether to allow college presidents to furlough employees.

The board is scheduled to take up the matter Tuesday at its regular monthly meeting in Atlanta. The measure would give presidents at Georgia's 35 colleges and universities the authority to put employees on unpaid leave "should the need arise."

In January, state lawmakers criticized University System of Georgia Chancellor Erroll B. Davis for boosting staff pay and avoiding employee furloughs as the state struggled to fill a $2 billion budget hole. Georgia's higher education system lost $238 million in state funding this year and is expected to be cut $275 million next year.