Utah State University will virtually be shut down next week with the student Spring Break coupled with 2,995 employees, including those who are not state-funded, participating in a mandatory, unpaid furlough affecting administration, fulltime faculty, part-time faculty, fulltime support staff and part-time staff.

University Spokesman John Devilbiss says the purpose behind the furlough is to address the most recent state budget cut, the second of two significant budget cuts over the last six months. The furlough starts Monday, March 9th and continues through Friday, March 13th with only essential services open.

Devilbiss says, unfortunately a week without pay has a greater impact on employees making less money than those making more.

He says the need to pay back state dollars already committed necessitated immediate, across the board ation. The unaid furlough is expected to save close to $4 million, or $660,00 a day.

So how are employees taking it? Devillbis says fortunately the vast majority have been supportive, believing they are all in this together and they are a family.