<p>There is another thread started by taxguy which is dancing around a question I would like to pose to those around the country:</p>
<p>Which states have seen major cutbacks/reduction of services at their public universities? I know that many have, but I am primarily concerned with the following schools:</p>
<p>University of Vermont
University of Massachusetts-Amherst
Binghamton University
Towson
University of Charleston
Indiana University
University of Colorado-Boulder</p>
<p>There are some exceptions around the country, but as a starting point, you should assume that a public university has been very badly impacted by the recession. To find specifics, you will have to do some research. I would recommend three places to start:</p>
<p>a) look at the university’s website for statements. Letters from president and chancellors regarding the budget are usually posted.</p>
<p>b) find the schools student newspaper and search for articles on budget</p>
<p>c) do a general Google news search with the university’s name and budget</p>
<p>For example, here’s a starting point for UMASS:</p>
<p>[UMass</a> Amherst: Office of the Chancellor » Campus Budget](<a href=“http://www.umass.edu/chancellor/budget.html]UMass”>http://www.umass.edu/chancellor/budget.html)</p>
<p>To understand the budget talk, we are currently 2 months into Fiscal Year 2010. It started July 1st for most schools.</p>
<p>The University System of Maryland (which includes Towson) is in pretty bad shape. For starters, they’re lifting the4-year-old in-state tuition freeze to raise revenue. </p>
<p>I haven’t heard much about Towson specifically (my alma mater, btw), but here’s what we were told during our UMd College Park tour.
<p>:(</p>
<p>thanks to both of above posters: I was looking for info along the lines of DougBetsy’s post (since I have already done some of the research suggested by interesteddad)…so much of the “budget talks” are obviously wordy and do not always provide specific actions that will directly affect students…yes, of course, all publics are being adversely affected…</p>
<p>Here is a link to an article about what has transpired at Indiana. </p>
<p>[idsnews.com</a> | Indiana Daily Student |](<a href=“http://www.idsnews.com/news/story.aspx?id=69322&search=tuition§ion=search]idsnews.com”>http://www.idsnews.com/news/story.aspx?id=69322&search=tuition§ion=search)</p>
<p>Not as bad as many universities. A couple of things not mentioned here. IU is not fully funded by the state. I believe IU only receives about 20% of it’s budget from the state. Don’t quote me on that figure though. I recall reading a figure somewhere that the state contributes tuition costs for instate students only up to a certain number of students and a certain amount. The state did technically cut funding to all state U’s this year, but some of that is made up with federal funds so essentially funding was flatlined this year. The wage freeze for administrators was put into effect last fall/winter.</p>
<p>I’ve not read about any specific changes such as DougBetsy mentions, but that does not similar changes have not happened.</p>
<p>Welcome to the world of politics. You have Chancellors playing politics on one side, being as slippery and vague as they can be about future cuts. Then, you have faculty on the other side, being political and raising the spector of impending doom (which is, I suspect, what DougBetsy was hearing at Towson). The loser, as is the case with most political issues, is truth and the average joe who just wants to figure out what this means to him.</p>
<p>The larger the school, the harder it is to even wrap your arms around the budget issues. The shear size and complexity of the institutions, with dozens of operating units, provides fertile ground for obfuscation. You just have to approach it from multiple sources and see what you can uncover.</p>
<p>interesteddad: so eloquent, as usual…yup, that’s why I posted the thread…I figured first hand knowledge from parents or from people who actually live in the states in question would get around the BS if you know what I mean…just one of many avenues I am exploring…</p>
<p>I’ve been looking into the same thing - some other things. </p>
<p>How many OOS students are accepted (some schools accept more OOS to boost $$).
Housing - Freshman & in general - forced triples (or occupancy rates), guaranteed housing - do kids live off campus because they want to or have to. On the school website - In the FAQs is there a section - What to do if I can’t secure housing.
Class size & TA teaching may have already been the norm at large schools. I try to find online course catalogs (schools will usually have multiple semesters - you just have to dig) try to compare years or semesters - # of sessions, are all the session closed, are there warnings to enroll early or really detailed instructions on what to do if all the sections are filled.
Parking situation - because stretched housing & off campus living - parking is limited, are freshman limited or are only commuters allowed to have cars. Is there shuttle service to parking lots.</p>
<p>UW-Madison may not be on your radar but they have taken steps to ensure the quality remains- even possibly upgraded. The “Madison Initiative” added costs to all student tuition to increase the availability of many large classes taken by freshmen, including increasing the number of faculty. Current state employees face a loss of their proposed wage/salary increases and 8 mandatory unpaid days off during the next two years. You can read more on the UW website. UW has taken steps to maintain its status despite the economy.</p>
<p>Regarding the above post. More OOS students means more diversity for the instate students- a plus. At a school like UW cars are usually not a part of student life- a cultural thing to consider when choosing a campus. Another cultural thing is housing- most students now at UW, aside from freshmen, live “off campus” which may mean next to a campus building /closer to classes than some in campus dorms. There are pros as well as cons to having TA’s.</p>
<p>You did not ask about Mizzou (U of MO-Columbia), but for what it’s worth, the budget situation for this year, as far as students are concerned, is not as bad as was feared. The state has kept funding level, and student tuition and fees were not raised. For the most part, there is a freeze on hiring of regular faculty–but not adjunct, so class size and availability may not be impacted greatly, at least in the short term.</p>
<p>Some of the financial impact is being absorbed by employees–no raises for most, greatly increased contributions to retirement. </p>
<p>No one knows what next year holds, and I would be surprised if fees remain the same for another year. I can’t imagine another year with no faculty positions filled.</p>
<p>Certainly no one has publicly stated that 4-yr. graduation rates will be impacted, and I haven’t heard any private talk among faculty and administrators to that effect, either.</p>
<p>BTW, college and university budget cuts are all in the Garrison Keeler Lake Wobeggon category. So far, every budget cut announced at every college and university in the world will have “no impact” on students, education, or financial aid. Amazing, isn’t it? Is this a great world, or what?</p>
<p>Sometimes these announcments are like falling through the rabbit hole in Alice in Wonderland. For example, Amherst has scrapped plans to hire 15 of the previously approved faculty while increasing enrollment by 200 students, but claims there will be no impact on their 8-1 student/faculty ratio. They have also included a substantial financial aid savings in their budget, but claim this will not reduce the numbers of students receiving aid or the size of their aid packages. I guess I should have taken more college math to figure all that out!</p>
<p>PSU gets only about 10% from the state…so the impact is somewhat limited. But I know they’re waiting for their money! The PA state budget has been at a standstill…a real problem.
Anyway, PSU has always used supplemental housing for overflow…no different this year. If you sign up for housing early or get into the honors program, this can be avoided.
No layoffs as far as I know.<br>
Not sure about classes…my son has not noticed a difference.<br>
Now schools that are largely funded by the state, like Westchester, are likely facing some trouble.</p>
<p>The thing is, all of the revenue streams are under pressure. State appropriations. Endowment returns. Tuition revenue (net of financial aid). And, eventually research contracts. Another Lake Wobegonism is that every college and university is “better positioned” than the “other” colleges and universities to weather the storm. Every last one of them is better off. Is this a great country or what? I feel like Borat from Kashakstan looking in wonderment at the amazing and miraculous good forturne!</p>
<p>Interestdad, your cynicism is funny but it is somewhat misplaced.</p>
<p>A relative of mine is a retiree from a major university. One of the changes announced was a “rebalancing” of retirement benefits. So this person is now paying more out of pocket, the prescription drug benefit was cut significantly, all the “bells and whistles” are now pay as you go, vs. free. Savings to the university- substantial. Impact on students- zero. Retirees don’t teach, don’t clean classrooms, don’t staff health centers, don’t serve mashed potatoes in the cafeteria.</p>
<p>I don’t know why you feel that Chancellors are being duplicitous. It’s absolutely true that some universities are better positioned than others. Some universities have maintained their bond ratings and are going ahead with planned construction, others have put all capital projects on hold. Some have increased enrollment and have students in triples and quads and others have managed to hold the line on the size of the student body.</p>
<p>And despite the gloom and doom, the military/industrial complex is still awarding billions of dollars in research grants; big pharma still relies significantly on academia; the stimulus money is starting to show up in some strange places on college campuses.</p>
<p>So don’t be so quick to be snarky here.</p>
<p>The reduction in pressure to keep up with the elite privates has given many near the top state schools a chance to relax and even do a little faculty poaching of their own. I think this has lifted spirits despite relatively flat budgets. Also at least for now research funding seems flush. Wisconsin YTD research grants won are up about 10% from last year.</p>
<p>Blossom’s comments are spot on. As someone who works with the budget on a public university campus, I can tell you with first hand experience that there’s no grand plan to hide information or details. If you only knew the energy and effort that has gone into finding creative ways to plug budget holes with least impact on students and communities served including retirement incentives to generate future salary savings and use of nonrecurring royalties. Retirees here are taking hits as well. You won’t find many details beyond right now because noone knows if we will receive mid year cuts in the current year or additional cuts next year and how deep those cuts might be.</p>
<p>I appreciate that higher education administrators are working diligently to deal with a bad situation. I’m just saying that, from a consumer’s standpoint, the entire issue of higher education budget-cutting is full of gobbledy-gook press releases and no small amount of posturing from those who may bear the brunt of cuts. For example, just because someone on campus says that all 100 and 200 level courses will be taught by TAs doesn’t mean that all 100 and 200 level courses will actually be taught by TAs. Especially when lobbying for state appropriations, there is a lot of “if this, then that” doomsday posturing – some which may actually come true.</p>