UPDATED: Government Shutdown Could Force Layoffs At Inver Hills

More than 100 Inver Hills Community College employees could receive layoff notices within the next few days, thanks to a possible state government shutdown.

But that's just the tip of the iceberg, if the state fails to pass a budget and no alternative solutions are reached to keep Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system operating. In that situation, all the college's staff and faculty will face layoffs, Inver Hills spokesperson Helen Ebert said.

That scenario is precisely what Inver Hills President Tim Wynes and the McSCU Board of Trustees hope to avoid. On Wednesday the board approved a resolution to pursue any administrative or other options to schools open in the event of a government shutdown on July 1. That includes seeking a court ruling that MnSCU is a "necessary service," Wynes said, which would allow MnSCU schools enough autonomy to continue critical operations.

MnSCU's financial services and functions are operated by Minnesota Management and Budget, the state agency that processes the system’s payroll and financial transactions. If that agency were to close, the school system would have no way to access to its existing funds and continue to operate, said Laura King, the vice chancellor for finance and administration and chief financial officer of MnSCU.

A  wide range of staff at Inver Hills could be affected by the shutdown, if it occurs.  Classified staff, including administrative assistants, maintenance employees and technicians, among others groups, will receive layoff notices in the next few days, college spokeperson Helen Ebert said. Other groups, including faculty and administrators, will receive their notices until later this summer. The layoffs would only take place if the state fails to pass a budget by July 1, and no alternatives are reached.

Any layoffs would be temporary, Wynes said, and affected employees would likely be reinstated when the government shutdown is resolved.

“We are optimistic that a budget agreement will be reached before June 30,”  MnSCU Chancellor James H. McCormick wrote in a press release. “But we need to take steps now to prepare for any contingency.”

More than 67,000 students are currently taking summer classes through the MnSCU system, including roughly 1,300 students at Inver Hills, Wynes said.

The college president is optimistic that MnSCU will be able to find a solution that prevents any interruptions to those students' academic schedules.

“We must do everything we can to avoid disruption of the education taking place this summer at Minnesota’s public colleges and universities," McCormick wrote. "State law says the board should ‘strive to provide uninterrupted service and instruction to students,’ and that’s our goal.”

The Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system comprises 32 state universities and community and technical colleges serving the higher education needs of Minnesota. The system serves about 277,000 students per year in credit-based courses and an additional 157,000 students in noncredit courses.

Correction: The article above has been changed to reflect an inaccuracy. School faculty may also be affected by layoffs if the state government shuts down.