Impact of Additional Budget Cuts on Utah State Now Under Review

Deans and Executive Committee members presented worst-case scenarios for an additional 6.5 percent budget cut February 12 during a combined meeting in Old Main's Champ Hall Conference Room.

Vice presidents and deans went around the table spelling out in detail the impacts that additional budget cuts would have on their colleges and divisions on top of nearly $12 million in cuts Utah State University has already absorbed during the past year. The budget cut scenarios for the next fiscal year beginning in July ranged from 2.5 percent to 6.5 percent in possible cuts.

What was missing during the meeting are the latest state revenue projections. Once those numbers are released to state legislators, decisions about whether additional cuts will be needed and who will take those cuts will put into greater focus what the university's next move will be.

In the meantime, Utah State President Kermit L. Hall expressed his appreciation to deans, vice presidents and directors for their work assembling the "various budget realities" presented during the meeting.

During the next week, Provost Stan Albrecht and Fred Hunsaker, vice president of Administrative Services, will pore through the reports and, in light of what was presented, "come up with a suggested course of action," Hall said.

He said he would like the same group to reassemble Feb. 26 to review a penultimate White Paper draft. The final version should be ready for release to the university community the second week in March.

Hall said the White Paper will include numbers and strategies. Reflected in the paper will be what the university is protecting and not protecting in the event of further cuts.

Reflected in all the scenarios presented was the priority to preserve the university's academic integrity – to hold faculty harmless. That does not mean, however, that further cuts would not come without much pain to the colleges and divisions and the professional and classified staff in support of them.

Deans reported that programs vulnerable are those that are applied technology-related, state programs subsidized by the university, and joint positions and research programs linked with other universities.

Hall said that until the university is given more specific budget reduction numbers, a course of action will have to wait. He advised administrators to do their best to keep the university community informed, but to keep present scenarios separated from future realities. While the university is now prepared to take action based on a number of what-ifs, no actions will ensue until more specifics are known.

Contact: John DeVilbiss (435) 797-1358