Chancellor discusses budget concerns with students
Sustainability, student union top list of questions about $8.6 million reduction
David Taintor
Issue date: 4/6/09 Section: Campus News
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Levin-Stankevich said the university has a total of $8.6 million to reduce from its budget in the next two years, which totals about seven to 10 percent of the university's total budget. He said about 90 percent of the total budget is in salaries and benefits and therefore doesn't allow much flexibility for reduction.
The chancellor said the university has been through budget cuts before.
"This is a continuation of what's been going on in public higher education in the United States for a number of years; continued reduction of public support and state tax support for higher education and more burden put on the student tuition," he said.
We need to adapt different models as to how we finance higher education as a state, as a country and how we work with our resources on campus, Levin-Stankevich said.
The chancellor reviewed comments and suggestions that students and staff made regarding the budget. The comments ranged from concerns about sustainability, curriculum changes and construction of the new student union.
Levin-Stankevich said he thinks the university needs to go ahead with the construction of a new union in order to keep facilities at UW-Eau Claire competitive with other universities and continue to attract prospective students.
"Research shows that about 30 percentof a student's decision on where to attend a college is what the place looks like and how they feel about the environment there," he said.
Freshman Katelyn Kufahl said budget cuts was the main issue that drew her to attend her first Roundtable.
"It's important to me to be aware of issues that affect me as a student and the community on the larger scale," she said.
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