How much? Higher Education looks at a 7.5% budget cut.

In a particularly interesting Higher Education appropriation sub-committee meeting, held last week, a budget cut was proposed for 7.5 percent. The original motion was made by our own Rep. Brent Wallis. Though I feel Co-chairman Valentine pushed him into the motion and that was not his original comment, the motion was made. The motion was later substituted and disappeared into thin air. (Gotta love Robert's Rules of Order) Before a new motion was made a 10 minute recess was called. Unfortunately since I listened to the meeting via podcast, we were not blessed to hear what happened. However there were three great things I would like to point out.

1. Besides his motion to cut education, Mr. Wallis had a great comment about our economic times and the future of Higher Education.
   

He said, "We must go forward as a committee and put forward a very very strong case of how important higher education is going to be. These elements that we are trying to save within these cuts will in fact help us stimulate or start the economic revival we are looking forward to. That is the message we need to really get across. We are losing a lot of talent here; this talent can help us turn around the economy"

I couldn't agree with Rep. Wallis more. But can a 7.5 percent cut accomplish this. Wallis was pushed into that motion and should have backed out and let someone else make it. Because that kind of motion doesn't represent what he said in the meeting about fighting for education.

1. Rep. Senator Urquhart had a great idea of prioritizing schools based on enrollment growth. The schools with the most growth would receive less of a cut versus the schools with the least growth would receive the most cuts. Great idea that should be looked at even closer. Some potential problems would be schools like CEU in Price. That could be the nail in the coffin for them. (I don't see why they are still open anyways). As a matter of full disclosure, the good senator was quick to point out the school in his district, my Alma Mater—Dixie State College, has had the highest growth. The fact still remains that his idea has merit.

2. The Governor's budget, though already out of balance to the tune of nearly $100 million, suggests that moneys be pulled from road projects and other state programs to reduce the cut to 3.5 percent. Many people loved this idea, but since the Governor's budget is already out of sync, it would need further debate as the proposals moved on.
   

You have to give credit to the Utah Student Association for coming out to speak their case and to the Commissioner of Higher Education for his "sales pitch" to reduce the cuts. But in the end it wasn't enough. How did the committee vote? Well they never turned the microphones back on after the recess so we are all deprived of the results. I have been checking newspaper feeds and have an email into Rep. Wallis, but I haven't heard.

The Tribune had a "doom and gloom" article on the topic with regards to Weber State, you can see it here, (Weber State's President Battles Deep Cuts)

As always, comments are welcome.