As an administrator, University Senior Vice President and Provost John Moseley has to deal with budgets and other administrative issues, but as a parent of a University senior he is also very concerned about the quality of education his daughter is getting.
With the University receiving almost $60.8 million from the State General Fund for 2003-04 — nearly $15.5 million less than what was allocated for the 2002-03 school year — University administrators like Moseley must work hard to help the school deal with leaner times while maintaining the quality of education for students.
The State Board of Higher Education held its second regular meeting of the 2003-04 academic year on Friday where they approved the University’s $541.3 million budget, which includes the $60.8 million coming from state funds. Compared to previous years, the $60.8 million received from the State General Fund, comprised of taxes and other state revenue sources, is significantly smaller.
“It’s a juggling act,” Moseley said of the difficulty involved with balancing a school budget supported by diminishing state funds.
In 2002, the University received $76.1 million from the State General Fund; in 2001, the school received $75.1 million; and in 2000, the school was granted $69.4 million by the state, according to the Oregon University System Web site.
Moseley said state budget difficulties this year may lead to problems for the University in the future. He said the lengthy state legislative session and a possible rejection of an income tax hike by voters in February could lead to harder times for students.
“As a parent, I’m sympathetic with the needs of the students,” Moseley said.
Apart from the $60.8 million from the state, the University’s budget included $165.7 million from “Other Limited Funds,” which is comprised of estimated campus tuition and fees, and $314.7 million from “Other Funds Nonlimited,” which includes donations, grants, student housing, incidental fee activities and other sources of revenue.
University Senate Budget Committee chairman Lynn Kahle said he was disappointed that funding from the state is declining.
“I don’t think it has to be a disaster, but we’ve been bleeding for a long time,” Kahle said. “At some point it becomes more difficult to do the things you want to do without what you wanted to receive.”
Kahle, a professor of marketing, said he was worried that with increased tuition, fewer students would be able to pay for an education. Additionally, there would be many students who would have to work harder to stay in school, he said.
“If you’re putting in a lot of work at a part-time job, you’re working that much less at what needs to be accomplished for your education,” Kahle said.
Kahle said budget cuts also make it a challenge for administrators to balance the budget. He added that faculty members are also strongly affected.
“It makes it more difficult to attract and attain the best faculty and having the best faculty is one of the main things that makes a university,” Kahle said. “I don’t like to see that in jeopardy.”
Vice President for Academic Affairs Lorraine Davis said she was very “disappointed and discouraged” with this year’s budget.
“There is a disinvestment in higher education,” Davis said. “It is short sighted not to look at the longer picture of the health of the state and general economic development.”
Davis said state lawmakers weren’t “understanding the importance of higher education.”
“Higher education is critical in the growth of the state,” Davis said.
Davis said the University, in order to meet reductions in the budget, will have to look at “all possibilities” while also trying to maintain the quality of the school.
Davis said she hopes that state lawmakers would be more supportive of higher education in the future.
“We would hope that they would be able to provide us with resources in keeping with the quality education that we are giving to people from this state, this nation and across the world,” Davis said.