Use only e-mail, raise tuition and turn the lights out.
These suggestions to reduce the budget were submitted by University of Memphis students to the business and finance department after a campus-wide e-mail was sent Monday to faculty, staff and students, asking for suggestions to help The University reduce its budget.
The Tennessee Board of Regents is requesting all Tennessee colleges and universities to cut their base budget by nearly 9 percent for the 2003-2004 fiscal year, and plans for The University to do so are well underway.
“We need everyone’s input to help us find those areas where we can improve efficiencies and meet this request,” said Charles Lee, vice-president for business and finance.
Lee said the department has received over 175 suggestions covering every aspect of The University.
“I think it’s going great,” said Teresa Hartnett, planning and research director. “Ideas have been coming in fast and furiously.”
Hartnett is compiling the suggestions into a one-page summary to be presented to U of M President Shirley Raines, who will be instrumental in making the final decision of what stays and what goes.
“We’ve had several students suggest to reduce printing and copying and use only the Internet,” Hartnett said. “I think it sounds like a good idea.”
Instead of cutting the budget, several students have proposed ideas to increase The University’s revenue.
“They’ve suggested turning the lights off in classrooms when they are not being used to save energy,” Hartnett said.
The Student Government Association is sending four students to Nashville today to present students’ opinions about the cut to the TBR.
“They’re going to learn the TBR’s perspective,” said Laura Pevahouse, SGA president. “But we really want to give the legislature an idea of what our perspective is, how it affects students at The University.”
An idea has been brought up to cut down U of M Police Services and just use the Memphis Police Department on campus, said Meredith Kimmel, a member of the Student Activities Council who will participate in the Nashville TBR session.
“Some people have also said to cut things like the Student Activities Council,” Kimmel said. “But all the extra-curricular activities offered are just as important as the activities inside the classroom. It’s what keeps people here.”
Kimmel said she wants to stress to the TBR that higher education is important to the state and shouldn’t have to deal with such steep budget cuts.
“I’m glad we have the opportunity to talk to them,” she said, “to tell them we’re not very happy about these cuts.”
The first cuts will be made in student resources and operations, according to David G. Zettergren, assistant vice-president for finance.
“I say raise tuition,” said Jason Escue, senior construction management services major. “I’d rather pay a little more and keep what we have instead of sacrificing things we would normally be used to.”
Escue said The U of M is a reasonably priced college, so a raise in tuition wouldn’t be extremely damaging.
“We are looking into everything,” Zettergren said. “But I feel sure we can do this and not negatively impact the students.”
Zettergren said the student suggestions have been very successful.
“This is going to be challenging,” he said, “but we have always been able to take care of the cuts.”
