NOVEMBER 12, 2009 ISSUE
ASU Budget Finalized
University Operating with $15.2 Million Less Than Originally Anticipated
As High Country Press reported in August, the state reduced ASU’s base budget by 5.2 percent—roughly $7.8 million dollars. An additional 5 percent reduction by Gov. Purdue was determined to occur on a month-by-month basis, said Greg Lovins, ASU’s interim vice chancellor for business affairs.
While it is possible that, if the economy turns around, the governor could rescind that additional reduction, “from what we’re hearing, we don’t anticipate that happening,” Lovins said. “We’re operating under the assumption that it’s going to last the entire year.”
If the additional cut does last all year, it will amount to another $7 million reduction, bringing the total budget to $15.2 million less than originally anticipated—“10.2 percent from what the base [budget] was supposed to be this year,” Lovins said.
The state budget for a university is based on enrollment numbers, and ASU’s enrollment went up this year, Lovins said, explaining that under normal circumstances, the university’s base budget would have increased.
ASU anticipated receiving $150.4 million in state-appropriated funding this year, but in actuality, the university received $135.2 million, he said.
The state funds directly support ASU’s core academic mission, Lovins said, adding that these monies go toward paying faculty salaries, classroom expenses, physical plant operations and maintenance, accounting, finance, the budgeting office, Information Technology and student development, among other expenses.
“It impacts every area of the university,” he said.
Other funding sources include auxiliaries such as the University Bookstore and Appalachian Food Services, Lovins said.
In dealing with the significant budget cuts, Lovins said that the priority of protecting the core academic mission included avoiding personnel layoffs.
“The chancellor said it best—‘we’re not going to help anybody by increasing unemployment in the High Country,’” Lovins said. “We gave up quite a few vacant positions, but we didn’t lay off anyone.”
Some vacant positions in housekeeping that were left vacant have resulted in an increased workload for current housekeeping personnel, he added.
Also to cope with the cuts, Lovins said, “We’re not traveling as much, [and] equipment purchases, supplies [and] materials took some pretty significant cuts. The old cliché of doing more with less, that’s the place we’re at right now.”
“We started getting the final budget from administration around September,” Lovins said, adding that it was then distributed to deans and department heads.
“Folks have received their budgets within the past few weeks.”
Despite the cuts, the university has succeeded thus far in its goals of protecting the classroom experience for students and faculty and not laying off employees, Lovins said, adding that they hope the economy improves so that the additional cut could be rescinded.
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