University budget woes
may last to end of decade
By Debbie Hewlett
Of th» BmunU
In a recent discussion with Rep. Peg John,
D-Cottage Grove, Jolin expressed concern that
the present economic downturn might last
through the entire decade
Jolin may be a bit pessimistic, but the indica
tors from this year seem to bear her out.
If the state is in for nearly 10 years of near
depression, what does the University and the
entire system of higher education have to look
forward to?
PART THREE
UNIVERSITY
CUTS
Graphic by Max De Rungs
The first place to be hit, as it has already, will
be monetary support for state programs A lot of
legislators feel that higher education already has
been run through the budget wringer once too
often. The state Ways and Means Committee
bears this out by its action last Monday when it
recommended only a 4 4 percent reduction in lieu
of Gov Vic Atiyeh's requested 10 percent budget
cut
But if the situation worsens, then universities
may be asked to trim even further
Students have borne the brunt of much of the
budget crisis by paying higher tuition. It seems
likely that students won't be asked to carry much
more of the load — a point legislators drove home
Tuesday when they asked for a $12 decrease in
tuition for next year.
Faculty and staff salaries are next in line.
Already many of the deans in the colleges at the
University are losing staff through attrition.
Many more faculty are receiving attractive
offers from other, more financially stable univer
sities How many will stay is still in the “wait and
see what happens" stage, says Robert Berdahl,
dean of the arts and sciences college
“They’ve grown and lived with the University,
they believe in it — it’s still a very good school,”
says Berdahl. “But most are flying on a wing and a
prayer.”
Most of the colleges and departments have
lost some faculty, while most stay on, says Jim
Reinmuth, dean of the business school. He says
he thinks it has a lot to do with an "esprit de
corps ”
’’That's worth a least a few thousand
dollars," says Reinmuth “Most good universities
are located in crummy places, but Eugene is a
nice place."
Aside from increasing tuition and losing
faculty, there are very few places to blacken a red
budget
All of the department heads were reluctant to
talk about axing programs and none would, or
could, determine which programs would go first.
An attitude of crossing the bridge when you come
to it prevails.
Most of the deans agree, that to a large
extent, the arts and sciences college is un
touchable
“All we have are basics,” says Berdahl.
"I don’t think anything is untouchable," says
Celeste Ulrich, dean of health, physical education
and recreation. But after a few moments, she
says, "readin', ’ritin’ and 'rithmatic are the only
untouchables “
’’You learn to speak and you still take
English, you learn to move and you still need to
take P E.," says Ulrich
Ulrich’s arguments are indicative of a general
feeling
“The University as a whole should know what
the arts are about,” says Bill Gilland, dean of
architecture and allied arts "There needs to be
access to visual inquiry — students need to think
visually.”
"All of higher ed is vulnerable," says Gilland,
"it's encouraging that the community is seeing
the need at least economically."
Untenured University faculty
question Olum about problems
About 75 untenured faculty
members met yesterday
afternoon to ask University
Pres. Paul Olum about their
status and current budget
problems
Questions ranged from efforts
to sway legislators to retirement
accounts
“We know there must be a lot
of anxiety," said Olum, "and we
may not be able to answer all
your questions. ”
Olum told the untenured
members that the budgetary
problems,"might make tenure
more difficult, but we won't
stop” and that there are "no
tenure quotas.”
When questioned about in
dividual program cuts, Olum
responded by saying that
program reduction is equivalent
to financial exigency and that if
faculty are let go without a one
year notice, then it will have to
be done with a notice of
exigency
Midway through the meeting
a television crew from KVAL
appeared and Olum asked that
none of the untenured faculty
be identified.
The television cameraman
filmed Olum and left
Earlier Olum asked that the
Emerald not use the names of
the people attending the con
vocation.
The hour-long meeting also
brought forth questions about
basic school support and the
possibility of closing a small
college within the state system.
"We never know about that,”
said Olum, “but there is almost
no chance,” he added.
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