UC Riverside has started issuing 60-day layoff notices to employees who run campus research labs.

The notices to staff research associates were expected as a result of state budget cuts. But the number of pink slips issued so far is smaller than many feared.

Rumors have circulated at UCR for months that all or nearly all of the 150 research associates would lose their jobs. But by the end of day Monday, 27 researchers in the College of Natural and Agricultural Sciences had received pink slips, and another nine were notified that their hours stand to be cut, UCR spokeswoman Kathleen Peach said by telephone.

More layoff notices could be issued, but it also is possible that some of those who received pink slips will be able to keep their jobs come Aug. 1, Peach said.

"There are a lot of efforts afoot to reallocate funds at least for the short term," Peach said.

That's not very reassuring to other research associates, many of whom are full-time university employees and hold advanced degrees.

Janet Clegg, president of the union representing researchers, said the university has not yet decided whether it can offer an early-retirement option to stave off further layoffs. The University Professional and Technical Employees union had requested such a program to help associates who are near retirement.

"Nobody is going to be feeling good about getting a layoff but the people I work with feel especially bad," said Clegg, who is a researcher with the botany department. "Most of us have put in long and loyal years here and really wanted to work until we retired."

This is likely just the first wave of layoffs at UCR. More are expected during the summer, likely in clerical and other classified staff.

Gov. Davis has proposed cutting $300 million to the University of California next year, including a $10.8 million cut in research. That's on top of an $18 million cut to research that Davis pushed through mid-year.

Each of the University of California's 10 campuses has discretion to decide how to handle the cuts locally, including where to issue layoffs. UCR will not be laying off faculty because it is the fastest-growing campus in the system, Peach said.

She said the university wants to avoid cuts that would directly hurt student instruction.

"The theme is quality and access and protecting instruction," Peach said. Faculty "are not on the block."

Clegg said cutting staff research associates does threaten quality -- research quality.

"As a group of employees, we have a huge amount of knowledge," she said. "We've been working in our areas for a long time. We build on the knowledge we have."