By Tom Jackson
tjackson@uga.edu
The fiscal year 2001 supplemental state budget proposed by Gov. Roy Barnes last week includes  funding for new construction, technology, research and research faculty at the UGA. The supplemental budget is the governor’s proposed spending plan for funds now available above the original fiscal year 2001 projected income.
At Columns was going to press, the governor still was to announce details of his fiscal year 2002 budget, which will include the faculty-staff pay increase recommendation. Both budgets are subject to debate, revision and adoption by the Georgia General Assembly, which opened its 2001 session Jan. 8.
Headlining the supplemental plan for UGA is $10 million for an animal and human vaccinology research facility to be built on the Athens campus as part of the state’s commitment to relocating Merial pharmaceuticals company headquarters and research facilities to Georgia.
UGA would receive some $9.8 million of the $28 million in additional funding proposed for the Georgia Research Alliance. UGA has several GRA-related proposals on the table, most prominent of which is funding of the state portion of an Eminent Scholar chair in global infectious diseases. The funds include endowment of the faculty position and supporting faculty and staff, equipment to support those scholars, and other technology related to the research. The university would receive just over $3 million, part of $24 million proposed for the full University System, to make up for the credit-hour shortfall following the semester conversion of two years ago. As part of an agreement to implement a budget holdback on campuses systemwide last fall, Gov. Barnes agreed to provide a state match to replace funds lost under the funding formula this year due to the dip in credit-hour registrations immediately following the change from quarters to semesters.
The governor’s plan includes $95 million in capital construction, covering the first six projects on the regents’ priority list. The university’s top item is 14th—the $38 million Lamar Dodd School of Art. It will likely advance to eighth on the list for next year’s funding consideration. |
|
|
