The University of Texas at Arlington said it will start offering buyouts to faculty and staff, citing increased funding challenges amid federal restrictions.
UTA President Jennifer Cowley announced a voluntary separation program and a phased retirement program earlier this week. The programs aim to provide incentives for employees to consider retirement or other career transitions this spring.
Cowley said the programs were needed to help UTA adapt “amid significant shifts in federal funding and policy,” according to a Monday email to students, faculty and staff. She said university officials are looking for ways to “preserve funds” to support the school’s mission and brace for the future, noting “there are challenges ahead.”
UTA spokesperson Jeff Caplan declined to share additional details, deferring to Cowley’s email.
The Education Lab
The move follows budget-saving measures last year in response to federal funding reductions, including a staff hiring freeze and a pause in staff salary adjustments.
The public school, which serves over 42,000 students, is the fifth largest university in Texas. It’s one of 16 universities in the state to receive the elite R1 Carnegie status, a classification given to the nation’s top research institutions based on research spending and the number of research doctorates awarded annually.
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About 17% of the school’s funding comes from the federal government, with nearly 9% going to student financial aid and 8.5% coming from grants and contracts, according to a June email from Cowley to the UTA community.
At her state of the university address in September, Cowley acknowledged that federal challenges, including those related to research support, student financial aid and international student visas, were testing the school’s budget.
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UTA projected a $44.2 million decrease in total revenue and transfers in fiscal year 2026, according to an August UT System budget document. University officials said they expected federal grant and contract revenue related to research to decrease $34 million over the next two years. UTA also saw a 30% decrease in international graduate student enrollment in fall 2025.
Eligible employees accepted into UTA’s voluntary separation program will resign effective May 31 and receive a lump sum payment in August equal to 9 or 12 months of base salary.
Employees accepted into the phased retirement program will resign effective May 31. Faculty members can return to work with reduced hours after Aug. 31 for no more than two years, while invited staff can return for a year. They will receive an incentive payout equal to 9 or 12 months of base salary, split between two dates.
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