Cuts threaten UGA’s mission

By Katie Barlow

Two years before Abraham Baldwin signed the U.S. Constitution on behalf of our state, the Georgia General Assembly commissioned him to lead the nation’s first state-chartered university, the University of Georgia. Some 225 years later, Baldwin’s vision for higher education, embodied in UGA’s motto, “To Teach, To Serve, and to Inquire into the Nature of Things,” is under attack.

Exorbitant budget cuts proposed by the Legislature were met with infeasible recommendations from the Board of Regents and UGA administrators. UGA’s response of placing non-contract faculty, cooperative extension services, and Georgia 4-H on the chopping block is a statement, not a solution.

Students recognize the severity of the budget crisis and understand cuts must be made. We have priorities, however, that must also be preserved: jobs, classes and the integrity of our degrees. The UGA administration does not give equal consideration to these priorities in its proposal.

To get the conversation started, we propose a modest tuition increase to offset the UGA administration’s proposal to cut $14.8 million in non-contract and temporary faculty who work directly with students in classroom settings. Consideration of tuition increases is essential to solving this crisis. Furthermore, unlike increases to student fees, tuition can be paid through scholarships and grants.

Additionally, we propose:

● Saving $13.7 million by reducing six-figure salaries by 10 percent. The Regents argue high salaries are necessary to remain competitive with the private sector and to prevent a “brain-drain” from the university. Under current economic conditions, with jobs hard to come by, this argument doesn’t hold up. We believe those who benefit most from the university understand the drastic measures needed to sustain this institution and hope they will accept this proposal to preserve the jobs of others.

● Suspending $750,000 in state funding for the renovation of the university president’s mansion. Our administrators claim this expenditure is necessary for fund-raising purposes. But the newly constructed ballroom in the $58 million Tate Student Center expansion, built with student fees, is an adequate alternative.

● Separating the UGA Athletic Association and coach’s salaries from state funds. The athletic association is one of the most profitable athletic franchises in the country, and under the current budget crisis, it can survive decreased state support. Additionally, students would like a detailed account of how the $3.3 million in student-paid mandatory athletic fees subsidize this private corporation.

This budget crisis has been particularly hard on students. Part-time jobs have been lost, the cost of attendance has increased, and the job market upon graduation is dismal at best.

We disagree with the UGA administration’s assertion that its proposal will preserve the integrity of this institution.

Now, more than ever, we need to direct our resources towards the preservation of course offerings, graduation times and the overall integrity of our degrees. We believe that students should not be forced to transfer schools or change majors because the budget crisis compromised their education. As we enter the job market, we need experience, training and graduation schedules at UGA that can compete with all schools nationwide.

In 1785, the Legislature created the first state-chartered university in America, setting a precedent for all future public institutions of higher learning. It is our hope that these difficult times will not dilute the standards of education that have been such an integral part of Georgia’s history.

Katie Barlow is president of UGA’s Student Government Association.