Budget Cuts hit Oregon University System

At the Special Session of the Legislature in February, a reduction of $48.8 million (6%) to the Oregon University System (OUS) budget was imposed. By the end of the second special session in March the cuts had dropped to $43.5 million(5.4%). With the Governor's line item cuts in March, the cuts grew to $71.8 million (8.6%).

As a result of these cuts, the member institutions of the OUS face severe budgetary reductions. A few of the areas impacted and the cuts they face (the difference between their current adjusted allocation and their initial allocation as approved by the legislature in 2001):

$25,595,212 (25%) Statewide Public Services
$10,605,678 ( 6.3%) Cell Funding:Graduates/Professional Students
$ 8,236,068 (2.2%)Cell Funding: Undergraduates
$ 3,206,114 (20%) Research
$ 2,625,000 (52.5%) Top Tier Engineering Schools
$ 1,775,812 (100%) Non Resident Masters
$ 1,570,902) (20%) Campus Service Programs
$ 1,400,000 (7%) Engineering Investment Fund
$ 1,302,642 (5%) Small School Funding

Total OUS cut: $71,814,178 (8.6%) out of a total original budget of $834,362,568.

Of the $71.8 million cut to the OUS budget, $27.2 million was imposed by the Governor on March 13, 2002. At that time he cut a total of $80.7 million from state agency budgets and indicated that additional cuts were necessary to balance the budget approved in the second special session. The shortfall was caused by the governor's veto of legislation that used reserves from 911 emergency services and from the Tobacco Trust proceeds. The majority of these cuts affected statewide public services (the Agricultural Experiment Station, the Extension Service, and the Forest Research Laboratory operated by OSU).

A comparison with the cuts imposed by the governor on other state agencies is perhaps useful:

$27,200,000 Oregon University System
$25,500,000 Human Service
$20,000,000 K-12 School Fund
$ 3,300,000 Community Colleges and Workforce Development
$ 2,800,000 Public Safety
$ 1,700,000 Other Government Services

It is clear the OUS was disproportionately impacted. Fortunately our lobbying efforts during the second special session were instrumental in the rejection of a 50 percent cut in a salary adjustment package - this would have cost the OUS an additional $10,850,000! Thanks to all members of the AAUP who participated in this lobbying effort by phoning, writing, or emailing their legislators. It really made a difference!

The result of the May economic forecasts are available showing that state resources have declined by another $550! This, together with the failure of Ballot measure 13 and other problems, puts the current shortfall at 870 million. The Governor recently outlined his proposal to deal with the problem - and clearly the forthcoming special session of the legislature in June is going to be crucial!

Peter B Gilkey
President Oregon Conference AAUP
Mathematics Department
University of Oregon
Eugene Or 97403
gilkey@darkwing.uoregon.edu

Web page spun on 1 June 2002 by Peter B Gilkey 202 Deady Hall, Department of Mathematics at the University of Oregon, Eugene OR 97403-1222, U.S.A. Phone 1-541-346-4717 Email:peter.gilkey.cc.67@aya.yale.edu of Deady Spider Enterprises