It's only been one day since Gov. Tim Pawlenty announced deep budget cuts -- including some that would affect higher education -- and already, University of Minnesota Junior Betsy Wendt knows she'll soon be transferring.
"When I found out how much it's going to be, I decided to transfer," she said on Wednesday, adding that she'll be attending Minnesota State University in Mankato next year. And so it is that staff, students and others at the U of M continue to respond to the latest round of cuts to affect their university.
Wednesday morning, the Board of Regents and President Robert Bruininks heard from the university community about a budget that already accounted for less state funding. Bruninks' budget for 2010 already called for 96 million dollars in cuts -- including cutting 1,240 jobs. Bruininks has also asked for a tuition hike of three percent. Both moves anticipated the governor's announcement.
"It's not small change, not chump change. It's not a simple thing to resolve. It's a really deep cut, and it's having a deep impact on the employment of people, on the compensation of people, and clearly, the cost students will have to pay going forward," Bruininks said.
Bruininks said all of this year's cuts amount to an overall 11 percent hit on the university's base budget. Still, he said, the Governor's announcement on Tuesday -- cutting funding to the U by an additional 50 million dollars -- amounted to less than the university expected. But as the University continues to carve away at its budget, some workers are already pleading with leaders to lay off people fairly and equitably across the board.
Members of a union representing the university's clerical workers say they've already been hit hard by budget cuts. They say it's time to look elsewhere in the community. "We've already made the sacrifice. We are already doing the jobs of two people. It's time for the university to look to other employee groups," said Phyllis Walker, President of AFSCME 3800.
Bruininks warns the budget situation could grow more grim in 2011 and 2012 -- when the U won't have federal stimulus money to help offset state funding shortages.
(Copyright 2009 by KARE. All Rights Reserved.)
