In a time of elevated gas prices and expensive consumer goods, budgeting has become a major topic of conversation. Individuals are not the only ones facing budget-related dilemmas — institutions are navigating budget changes as well.
UNC’s take on the dilemma has been ServiceFirst, a cost-savings initiative meant to create more efficient, consistent and strategic cost savings within various administrative service departments across campus, including HR, finance, procurement, IT, research administration and communications. According to its website, ServiceFirst mainly aims to unify and redirect similar department needs and resources into centralized services.
In the summer of 2025, UNC shared its plan for saving $70 million worth of operational spending — a response to prominent federal and state budget strains.
Initially, $8.5 million of this $70 million total was mandated to be administrative staff reductions. The Board of Trustees then adjusted the plan in January, directing the University to account for $25 million in annual administrative spending reductions. As a result, UNC introduced ServiceFirst, the University’s primary avenue for approaching and achieving these savings go...