2008 Woodie Awards
Budget cuts blast academics
John C. Osborn
Issue date: 4/25/07 Section: Campus
- Page 1 of 1
Despite the largest freshman class ever and increased alumni contributions, Humboldt State's budget will be diced by $3.4 million next year. Academics face huge cuts across all colleges and support programs.
"I think all of us would feel better," President Rollin Richmond said at a press conference last Thursday, "if we weren't having to make all these reductions."
Beginning this fall, the Instructionally Related Activities fee increase (which completely funds athletics and creates a Jackpass and a Humboldt Energy Independence Fund) will be a reality. The fee will be attached to a Higher Education Price Index, which students opposed. The increase of $202 per semester could bring in between $2.5 to $3 million next year.
The budget cuts affect every division of the university, except for University Advancement-geared toward attracting money and students to the university.
On top of cutting $1.7 million to address deficits over the past two years, Academic Affairs must cut an additional $1.6 million over the next three years, beginning with $900,000-a total of $2.6 million for next year. Specifics weren't given as to where cuts would be applied.
"We are completely in the dark," said Saeed Mortazavi, chair of the Academic Senate and co-chair of the University Budget Committee.
What is known is how much each college and support program, like Information Technology Systems, must cut over the next three years. Next fall, ITS, whose charge includes webmail, must cut more than $1 million.
Anna Kirscher, university's chief information officer, said her budget will be 26 percent less after all three years of cuts occur.
"We are obviously looking at significant staff reduction," Kirscher said.
Despite having a chronically low budget to begin with, Kirscher is optimistic that enrollment for fall will bring in more money.
"I have to hope this is the bottom of the trough," she said.
Richmond said a main cause of the deficit was the enrollment-based funding model used by all California State Universities.
Terra Rentz, California Faculty Association student intern, said that cuts of this magnitude could lead to faculty losing jobs.
"I think there is a huge risk of a major lecturer layoff," Rentz said.
With the facutlty-to-student ratio for classes to increase, larger classes and less class offerings may become a reality.
"I think this is really going to hurt students," Rentz said.
"I think all of us would feel better," President Rollin Richmond said at a press conference last Thursday, "if we weren't having to make all these reductions."
Beginning this fall, the Instructionally Related Activities fee increase (which completely funds athletics and creates a Jackpass and a Humboldt Energy Independence Fund) will be a reality. The fee will be attached to a Higher Education Price Index, which students opposed. The increase of $202 per semester could bring in between $2.5 to $3 million next year.
The budget cuts affect every division of the university, except for University Advancement-geared toward attracting money and students to the university.
On top of cutting $1.7 million to address deficits over the past two years, Academic Affairs must cut an additional $1.6 million over the next three years, beginning with $900,000-a total of $2.6 million for next year. Specifics weren't given as to where cuts would be applied.
"We are completely in the dark," said Saeed Mortazavi, chair of the Academic Senate and co-chair of the University Budget Committee.
What is known is how much each college and support program, like Information Technology Systems, must cut over the next three years. Next fall, ITS, whose charge includes webmail, must cut more than $1 million.
Anna Kirscher, university's chief information officer, said her budget will be 26 percent less after all three years of cuts occur.
"We are obviously looking at significant staff reduction," Kirscher said.
Despite having a chronically low budget to begin with, Kirscher is optimistic that enrollment for fall will bring in more money.
"I have to hope this is the bottom of the trough," she said.
Richmond said a main cause of the deficit was the enrollment-based funding model used by all California State Universities.
Terra Rentz, California Faculty Association student intern, said that cuts of this magnitude could lead to faculty losing jobs.
"I think there is a huge risk of a major lecturer layoff," Rentz said.
With the facutlty-to-student ratio for classes to increase, larger classes and less class offerings may become a reality.
"I think this is really going to hurt students," Rentz said.
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