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Columns::October 8, 2001
Recipients of Brooks award for excellence announced
Federal, state laws cover university employees called to military service
Four named faculty fellows for scholarship program
New grants will fund two Brazilian projects
Taking the next steps
On the road again
UGA welcomes new faculty
On a mission
Stretching their skills
Campus News
UGA responds to governor’s budget-reduction directive
By Tom Jackson
tjackson@uga.edu
Slowing state revenue growth, exacerbated by the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, has led to the first mid-year state budget reduction
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| Michael F. Adams |
since the economic downturn of fall 1991. Gov. Roy E. Barnes called Oct. 1 for a 2.5 percent reduction in the current fiscal year budget, annualized to a 5 percent reduction for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2002.
State funding comprises 41 percent of the University of Georgia’s overall annual budget. Senior Vice President for Finance and Administration Henry M. Huckaby estimates that the cuts may cost UGA some $10 million in fiscal year 2002 and $20 million in fiscal year 2003.
Along with Associate Vice President and Budget Director Ryan Nesbit and other university officials, Huckaby is gathering further direction from regents’ staff and state budget officials. The University System must submit its budget reduction plan to the state Office of Planning and Budget by Oct. 31.
“We expect to issue a set of budget reduction guidelines to deans, directors and department heads tomorrow,” Huckaby said last Wednesday. “With their feedback in response, we will be able to submit a university plan to the system to be incorporated into the plan to be submitted to OPB.”
“Since the mid-1990s, we have had an unprecedented series of splendid years in state funding for the University of Georgia,” President Michael F. Adams said in an open letter to the university community distributed Oct. 3. “This institution has benefited from one of the strongest state economies in the nation over that period, a significant infusion of funds for capital improvements, and from the new state lottery for equipment and technology.”
The president’s statement continued: “Giving up that amount of funding will not be easy, but it is manageable. Our guiding principle will be to protect the core missions of the institution-those areas which directly provide instruction, research and service. Our current plan is to take these reductions to the extent possible in administrative personnel and processes and not from those directly involved in the classroom and laboratory. This may involve delaying purchase of equipment, deferring maintenance, or holding non-instruction and non-research positions vacant. It will slow the hiring process, but we will follow the state directive, which states clearly that this reduction is not to result in the layoff of existing personnel.
“The University of Georgia has built a tremendous amount of positive momentum in recent years,” Adams wrote. “We have a large amount of construction under way on the campus. Research dollars have been setting records. External fund raising last year was the second highest in UGA history. I urge the university community not to let this reduction in state funding dampen that momentum. We can’t foresee fully what the economy will be in six, 12 or 18 months, but we will do our part and hope for an early improvement. Meanwhile, we will join our great state and nation in tightening the belt a bit, renewing our resolve, and continuing to move boldly forward.”
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