USG copes with budget cuts, possible student fee increase
Claire Dykes
Issue date: 11/6/09 Section: Campus News
A University System of Georgia-wide budget cut increase from 6 percent to 8 percent will result in eliminating many positions that are currently frozen according to GCSU President Dorothy Leland. An additional $150 mandatory emergency fee may be added to the existing fee, totaling $250 per student for Spring 2010 semester, according to Leland.
The state Board of Regents will meet Nov. 17 and 18 to decide whether imposing this temporary fee at the state level is necessary.
The total budget cut from GCSU will rise to 20 percent, or $700,000, over the past year by 2010.
HOPE Scholarship recipients would not be exempt from the fee and a needs-based exemption has not been established.
"We can expect the same policies for this fee that are already intact (for other fees)," Leland said.
Both the state of Georgia and GCSU composed plans for 4, 6 and 8 percent cuts earlier this semester. Universities devised their plans to mesh with the state level's requirements. Furlough days were instituted at the state level earlier this year, requiring all of the university system to impose them.
"Furlough days are temporary," Leland said. "So next year we'll have to find a different way to cut the budget."
The move to an 8 percent cut, however, will not increase the amount of furlough days this fiscal year.
Along with cutting non-instructional frozen positions, the school's pre-existing 8 percent budget cut plan includes dipping into excess tuition revenue.
The university budget is created conservatively to account for unseen expenses. Delving into this portion of the budget will not directly impact any department, but it leaves less of a cushion for the university to fall back on, should anything unexpected occur.
All of the frozen positions being discontinued should not affect students' class time directly.
"We want to do everything not to harm instruction, " Leland said.
A sharp rise in applications for federal financial aid has signified students and families are going through rough times, according to Leland.
"We'll have to figure out some new creative ways to do what we do best here (at GCSU)," Leland said.
The state Board of Regents will meet Nov. 17 and 18 to decide whether imposing this temporary fee at the state level is necessary.
The total budget cut from GCSU will rise to 20 percent, or $700,000, over the past year by 2010.
HOPE Scholarship recipients would not be exempt from the fee and a needs-based exemption has not been established.
"We can expect the same policies for this fee that are already intact (for other fees)," Leland said.
Both the state of Georgia and GCSU composed plans for 4, 6 and 8 percent cuts earlier this semester. Universities devised their plans to mesh with the state level's requirements. Furlough days were instituted at the state level earlier this year, requiring all of the university system to impose them.
"Furlough days are temporary," Leland said. "So next year we'll have to find a different way to cut the budget."
The move to an 8 percent cut, however, will not increase the amount of furlough days this fiscal year.
Along with cutting non-instructional frozen positions, the school's pre-existing 8 percent budget cut plan includes dipping into excess tuition revenue.
The university budget is created conservatively to account for unseen expenses. Delving into this portion of the budget will not directly impact any department, but it leaves less of a cushion for the university to fall back on, should anything unexpected occur.
All of the frozen positions being discontinued should not affect students' class time directly.
"We want to do everything not to harm instruction, " Leland said.
A sharp rise in applications for federal financial aid has signified students and families are going through rough times, according to Leland.
"We'll have to figure out some new creative ways to do what we do best here (at GCSU)," Leland said.
Be the first to comment on this story