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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (June 21, 1982)
‘Exigency,’ Olum warns Staff salaries, four programs face axe The latest special session of the Oregon Legislature was short, but it wasn't sweet for higher education in Oregon According to University Pres. Paul Olum, Gov. Vic Atiyeh’s decision to include higher education in this latest round of state budget reductions proba bly means financial exigency — a form of bankruptcy — for the University. The Legislature, reacting to a predicted $100 million revenue shortfall, last week approved Atiyeh’s recommendation to cut $10 million from state agency budgets as one element of a five-part package of reductions. Higher education's share of the cut is $2.4 million. Atiyeh's announcement that the state colleges and universi ties would be included in the cuts caught many higher education officials off guard. Earlier, the governor had said the state system of higher education would be spared further cuts because it had suf fered enough But something changed his mind. In his final recommenda tion to the Legislature. Atiyeh included the $2 4 million reduc tion in higher education. The Legislature approved all of Atiyeh's recommendations dur ing the 14-hour session last Monday. Summer school & Gantsv’s Go Togelher Jamoca Fudge Chocolate Cheesecake Peanut Butter Fudge Rocky Road Moolky Way German Chocolate Cake Carmel Cashew Chocolate Cashew Mocha Chip Raspberry Cheesecake Honey Vanilla Banana Peppermint Candy AND LOTS MORE. ice CftEAA 1805 L 19th 11:30 am-11 pm Santa Clara Fred Meyer Shopping Ctr. 12 noon-10 pm Hallw ‘‘Of course I’m disappoint ed," Olum said at a press con ference the day after the ses sion. Atiyeh appeared commit ted to exempting higher educa tion from the cut, Olum said, but “then he went and did it.” If the University is forced to cut a proportionate share of the $2.4 million, four "outreach” programs would probably be eliminated, saving about $650,000, Olum said. Analysis The programs Olum named are the Bureau of Governmental Research and Services, the Labor Education and Research Center, the Oregon Institute of Marine Biology at Charleston and the University radio station, KWAX. In order to make the layoffs legal for the tenured faculty in volved in these programs, ex igency would have to be de clared, Olum said. If the University is forced to follow through with the cuts, they would represent the most serious program surgery since Olum took over as head of the University ‘‘I am vigorously and uncom promisingly opposed to such closures,” Olum said in a letter to state Sen. Ed Fadeley of Eugene, chairman of the bud get-writing Ways and Means Committee. “It would constitute a terrible loss to the State of Oregon and it should be pointed out that once closed it would be almost impossible to restore them later.” Perhaps even more serious was the Legislature's decision to impose a 6 percent pay reduction on all state em ployees. Although teachers are exempted, classified employees are not. The announcement of the pay cut came barely a week after the University worked out an agreement with classified em ployees for a voluntary 3 percent decrease. That agreement is now '‘moot,'’ Olum said. Because the initial pay cut was in response to previously mandated budget cuts, the University will face an additional $400,000 shortfall by withdraw ing the agreement. Olum was not specific on how the Univer sity would handle that deficit. Olum was the only state sys tem representative present dur ing the special session. Alth ough he did not testify during the session, Olum said he spent hours alerting legislators of the effects further cuts would have on the University. Before the session opened, outgoing state system Chancel lor Roy Lieuallen had answered questions from legislators on the effects of further cuts in the higher education budget. “The Chancellor's remarks seemed to imply that higher education could handle the cuts by cutting special expendi Emerald photo turess” Olum said. He went on to say further cuts in services and supplies or library expenditures were unrealistic. Unfortunately, the worst may not be over. Legislators already were predicting another special session for September to deal with another possible revenue shortfall. By Harry Esteve Seoud Hundreds of Albums Top Artists: Rock Jazz Classical Country Hurry in for the Best Selection Sale ends July 3,1982 UO BOOKSTORE 13th & Kincaid M-F 8:15-5:30 Closed Saturday Textbooks 686-3520 General Books 686-3510 Supplies 686-4331 o c <D 0) (o Pag* 3
