Updated

Eleven top public university officials in Puerto Rico have resigned as the governor of the U.S. territory demands multimillion-dollar budget cuts amid an economic crisis.

The unprecedented move surprised many and prompted Gov. Ricardo Rossello on Friday to warn that his government will intervene if the board of directors does not submit a fiscal plan with the $300 million in cuts he has asked for. The board called a meeting late Friday to discuss the issue.

Those who stepped down include the interim president of Puerto Rico's largest public university and 10 deans at campuses around the island. The system has 11 campuses in all and serves more than 50,000 students.

Rossello's administration accused the interim university president of concealing financial information.