Students question budgets
As the world economic crisis spreads, USU is forced to re-evaluate its budget, but in a way that the institution will be “held harmless,” said USU President Stan Albrecht Wednesday as he addressed student journalists’ questions about the $6.5 million legislative budget cuts to the university.
“We are facing unprecedented world market conditions, like nothing I’ve seen in my lifetime,” Albrecht said. “USU is not insulated from the consequences of what’s going on in the world.”
However, Albrecht stressed that he wanted USU students to face as few negative effects from the cuts as possible. He said there are several things the university is doing to find the money in places that will keep students insulated.
A six-person Budget Reduction Committee has been appointed, headed by USU’s Vice President Fred Hunsaker. They will work with the deans of the six colleges to find cuts from the various departments. Each department is required to submit a proposal cutting 5.5 percent of its budget by Nov. 1 to the committee for review. Dec. 1 final decisions will be made. Albrecht said no decisions on cuts, including staff and faculty, have been made at this point.
“The cuts will not be across the board,” Albrecht said. “We want to be held harmless in an academic community.”
So where is the university getting the money, or not getting it? Tuition will not be affected by budget cuts, nor will student loans or scholarships, Albrecht said. Albrecht said the economic crisis will affect those things, but due to university investments, crisis plans, and the UHEAA that insures student loans in Utah, students will be virtually untouched.
To save money, the university has deferred several projects and maintenance. Albrecht said he welcomes any suggestions on how to save money. After Albrecht, on Oct. 15, posted a budget letter on the USU Web site, several students and faculty made suggestions ranging from four-day work weeks to energy effeciency.
Four day workweeks, however, are out of the question, Albrecht said. Besides that it is hard for USU to meet the hour requirements to be accredited, the buildings still have to be heated on Friday.
“The savings are just too modest for this to be valid,” said Albrecht.
Although, he did say USU is very aware of energy efficiency.
To make money, USU will invest in recruiting.
“We will be more aggressive for recruiting out-of-state students by advertising that USU is still one of the best education deals in the country,” Albrecht said. “It is a great bargain.”
He said that despite the cuts, it is a great time to come because USU ranks 29th in the West for low tuition costs.
Albrecht said that no one, including himself, knows how long the economic downturn will continue. He said USU is working hard to ensure a bright future for its students, but that a continued crisis could have devastating affects.
“I hope we’re at the bottom of the hole,” Albrecht said.
–storee.powell@aggiemail.usu.edu