Public Universities Become Prime Targets For State Budget Cuts (WSJ)

[Drew]

Public Universities Become Prime Targets for State Budget Cuts

"The University of Nebraska is digesting a likely $13.3 million funding cut for the remainder of the current fiscal year, and staring down a proposal to slash nearly $18 million more over the next two years.

“We want to do everything we can to protect the academic enterprise, and we want to continue to be as affordable as possible,” said President Hank Bounds, who oversees campuses of 51,000 students. “Unfortunately, we are going to violate both of those fundamental principles.”

Mr. Bounds said tuition increases, as well as cuts to spending on technology, travel and facilities, are all on the table.

Governors and lawmakers in at least another half-dozen states, including Pennsylvania and Connecticut, have proposed fiscal 2018 cuts to higher education, an easy target because shortfalls can be made up through tuition and fee increases."

 

[JSM1970]

Universities are a joke. More inefficient than state government and too many lazy and unproductive Union workers. If you cut their funding they have to look at cutting costs too. Makes sense.

Public Universities Become Prime Targets for State Budget Cuts

"The University of Nebraska is digesting a likely $13.3 million funding cut for the remainder of the current fiscal year, and staring down a proposal to slash nearly $18 million more over the next two years.

“We want to do everything we can to protect the academic enterprise, and we want to continue to be as affordable as possible,” said President Hank Bounds, who oversees campuses of 51,000 students. “Unfortunately, we are going to violate both of those fundamental principles.”

Mr. Bounds said tuition increases, as well as cuts to spending on technology, travel and facilities, are all on the table.

Governors and lawmakers in at least another half-dozen states, including Pennsylvania and Connecticut, have proposed fiscal 2018 cuts to higher education, an easy target because shortfalls can be made up through tuition and fee increases."

 

[Drew]

Feels like this belongs in here:

 

[Drew]

Students head to capitol to speak against budget cuts

"UConn’s Undergraduate Student Government President Daniel Byrd and external affairs chair Haley Hinton have made arrangements to lead a group of 60 to 70 students on a bus to the state capitol in Hartford. They expect to meet with more students, faculty and community members at the capitol.

Fourteen students and community members will testify before the state Appropriations Committee on behalf of UConn, Byrd said. The testifiers (the names of whom have not been released) will include honors students, students who have benefitted from financial aid and a business leader who have all benefitted from state funding at UConn.

“An investment in UConn is an investment in the state,” Byrd said. “Students aren’t just graduating, we’re also paying taxes and setting up roots.”

The cuts in state funding are likely to mean fewer programs and/or higher costs to students, Byrd said. However, both Byrd and UConn President Susan Herbst have expressed that they were prepared for deeper cuts.

“The governor’s budget proposes substantial cuts for both UConn and UConn Health,” Herbst said. “At the same time, the proposed cuts could have been much deeper and we are grateful for every penny the state is able to provide during these difficult budget years. We will have to analyze how damaging the proposed cuts would be for the university.”

Herbst and other university officials will speak before the Appropriations Committee Wednesday morning, UConn spokeswoman Stephanie Reitz said.

“It’s tough when the cuts aren’t as bad as you expect,” Byrd said. “Anything at all is bad, but when you’re expecting 10 percent and you get 7 percent, you’re torn between feeling relieved and feeling upset.”"

 

[Drew]

Students head to capitol to speak against budget cuts

"UConn’s Undergraduate Student Government President Daniel Byrd and external affairs chair Haley Hinton have made arrangements to lead a group of 60 to 70 students on a bus to the state capitol in Hartford. They expect to meet with more students, faculty and community members at the capitol.

Fourteen students and community members will testify before the state Appropriations Committee on behalf of UConn, Byrd said. The testifiers (the names of whom have not been released) will include honors students, students who have benefitted from financial aid and a business leader who have all benefitted from state funding at UConn.

“An investment in UConn is an investment in the state,” Byrd said. “Students aren’t just graduating, we’re also paying taxes and setting up roots.”

The cuts in state funding are likely to mean fewer programs and/or higher costs to students, Byrd said. However, both Byrd and UConn President Susan Herbst have expressed that they were prepared for deeper cuts.

“The governor’s budget proposes substantial cuts for both UConn and UConn Health,” Herbst said. “At the same time, the proposed cuts could have been much deeper and we are grateful for every penny the state is able to provide during these difficult budget years. We will have to analyze how damaging the proposed cuts would be for the university.”

Herbst and other university officials will speak before the Appropriations Committee Wednesday morning, UConn spokeswoman Stephanie Reitz said.

“It’s tough when the cuts aren’t as bad as you expect,” Byrd said. “Anything at all is bad, but when you’re expecting 10 percent and you get 7 percent, you’re torn between feeling relieved and feeling upset.”"

USG makes their case in Hartford

 

[Drew]

UConn specific budget cuts background info: Editorial: Proposed budget proves damaging to UConn

"Governor Malloy proposed a new state budget on Feb. 9, laying out over $1 billion in reductions. As a public university, the University of Connecticut was on the receiving end of a proposed four percent reduction in state funding. While it is understandable that UConn be included in cost reduction measures, the state cannot continue to chip away at the university budget as a means of scrapping together savings. Long-term budget reductions for the university would provide a far more stable and beneficial means of reducing the financial burden of the university.

In response to the proposed cuts, UConn President Susan Herbst commented:
“The proposed cuts could have been much deeper and we are grateful for every penny the state is able to provide during these difficult budget years. We will have to analyze how damaging the proposed cuts would be for the university.”

Herbst’s role as an advocate for UConn to the governor and to Hartford is clear. However, using such conciliatory language threatens to undermine this position. The CT Mirror’s Jacqueline Thomas estimated that the state provides about 30 percent of UConn’s funding. As this percentage has diminished over the years, it is more important than ever for the university President to fight for every penny available to the UConn system.

Moving forward, the university must come to terms with shrinking state contributions to its budget. Preparing for long-term spending reductions, stabilizing enrollment and finding small but effective cost reductions will ensure that proposed budget reductions have a more limited impact in Storrs. As a public entity, the university has a responsibility to rein in expenses and perform the duties of an elite university at a responsible cost."