Reminder of the Importance of managing vacant positions

by | Aug 7, 2025 | HR Council, Policy

From: Michael Vollmer
Action Required: Prioritize active position management
Contact: Michael Vollmer or Shelby Bass
Attachments/Links: Revised HR Delegated Authority Memo 08/08/2024; Vacant Positions Dashboard

I wanted to remind you of the importance in managing your vacant positions. Last August, I sent a memo (attached) directing most long-term vacant positions to be abolished by 1/1/2025. The language from that memo is below:

Abolishing Vacant Positions 

Beginning January 1, 2025, only permanent SHRA and EHRA positions that are currently filled, that have been vacant fewer than twelve months, or that have been vacant greater than twelve months but are under active recruitment, may be retained. All other positions must be abolished. Reestablishing any of these positions must follow the current policies and procedures for establishing and modifying positions for that classification group.

Over the past six months, a good deal of progress has been made at some institutions. A number of campuses now only have 1% or 2% of their positions listed as being vacant for more than a year. Overall, the number of positions vacant for more than a year has fallen by 10,000 and has been cut in half. However, there are still 9,500 positions showing as having been vacant for more than a year across the system. Some campuses appear not to have conducted any position cleanup. Others may have completed an initial review but have since allowed the number of long-term vacant positions to grow again. Please review the vacant position dashboard we have made available. Please remember to exclude frozen or eliminated positions.

I cannot overstate the importance of active position management at your campus.  I understand the many reasons campuses have told me they deprioritize managing this: that many of these positions do not have a budget associated with them, are not established as permanent; that many positions were created but never used, or that the position is tied up in internal campus politics. However, over the past year, our team has consistently emphasized the importance of actively managing these positions. The Board of Governors and the President have expected regular updates on this effort. In the past we have not presented publicly on individual campuses progress. I expect that will change.

I want to draw your attention to a few points as you consider prioritizing this work:

  1. The President has directed the Chancellors to take manage these vacancies
  2. Our vacancy levels are under legislative scrutiny
    • The House and Senate budget proposals contained a substantial funding cut to the UNC System derived from the unused vacant positions in the System.
    • HB 125 – the “mini budget” signed into law yesterday, contains a requirement that all positions vacant for more than 6-months be reported to the State Auditor’s Office by October 1, 2025, for review.

If you have a position that has been vacant for 12 months or more, or frankly any vacancy, it should either be abolished, be under recruitment, or you should have a clear and straightforward justification – one that would be understandable and reasonable. I would expect this to continue to be a point of emphasis with your Chancellors.

Please reach out to me or Shelby Bass (sabass@northcarolina.edu) if you have any questions or if we can be of any help.