BY MARKESHIA RICKS • montgomeryadvertiser.com
The down economy has forced some Alabama universities to follow a trend that could only get worse for them when the state Legislature drafts the 2011 education budget. But local universities say they are holding their own.
Four-year universities, which have already endured two rounds of budget cuts, are preparing for a brutal fight for education dollars and some of them have already had to eliminate jobs despite an influx of federal stimulus dollars into the state for education.
In just over a week they, along with the state’s two-year colleges, will be defending a consolidated budget request before legislators. The Alabama Commission on Higher Education approved a request for nearly $1.6 billion for fiscal 2011, but if lawmakers can come up with more they’ll take it.
Between the two institutions, the University of Alabama at Birmingham and the University of Alabama at Huntsville have lost nearly 500 positions, mirroring a trend that is unfurling nationwide.
The results of a survey released by the Association of Public and Land Grant Universities found that of its 188 members, 80 percent reported reductions in permanent and temporary staff positions, with one-half moving beyond position reductions to staff layoffs.
“The survey results indicate APLU universities are striving to protect the core education mission of their institutions, with administrative units, professional and support staff, facilities and support operations experiencing the most intense scrutiny and deepest reductions,” Christine Keller, association director, said in a news release.
“The long-term implications of the funding cuts and the impact on public universities are of consequence beyond the higher education community. Public universities provide significant contributions to the national economy and the well-being of our citizens.”
UAB has eliminated 389 position since Jan. 1. Of those positions, 92 of the employees found other positions with the university. At UAH, 80 positions were eliminated — half by attrition and half through layoffs. Ray Garner, spokesman for UAH, said that the $10 million the university received in federal stimulus money was used to save the equivalent of 17 positions as of Oct. 31.
UAB is using its nearly $94.2 million in stimulus money to support academic and student services, faculty and staff compensation, buy supplies and equipment, and to mitigate tuition increases for this year. Stimulus grant money has also saved or created 53 full-time employee positions and provided financial aid to students.
“We expect additional job retention/creation, as much of the (federal) grant money was only recently received,” said UAB spokesman Dale Turnbough. “All stimulus funds will cease in 2011, and unless state funding substantially increases, these positions — as well as others — will be in jeopardy.”
Alabama State University, Auburn Montgomery and Troy University have not had any layoffs, but officials from the three universities acknowledge that they are bracing for tough 2011 budgets because of significantly reduced tax collections.
Susan Salter, spokeswoman for AUM, said that the university has used stimulus money to fund 28 new or existing positions, but it has been working for nearly a year to scale back spending without affecting student services. AUM and Auburn University received a total of $66.3 million in federal stimulus funds, according to the state stimulus Web site.
“A university-wide committee met for several months and looked at suggestions from across campus — everything from energy-saving to consolidation of offices and services to not giving raises for two years,” Salter said. “To date, we have been able to scale back without impacting the quality of our programs.” But Salter said it remains to be seen whether their efforts will be enough.
“At this point, we are hopeful the stimulus money and spending cuts will be enough to get through another year without (layoffs),” she said. “But higher education has taken significant state funding cuts in the last two years. If the 2011 budget includes even more deep cuts, we will have re-examine all our spending.”
ASU spokesman Kenneth Mullinax said the university has not had any layoffs and doesn’t anticipate any in the future. The university froze salaries during fiscal 2009 and raised tuition significantly this year. “We have been able to avoid layoffs — as some other universities have had so far — through an innovative budgeting program initiated by our president, Dr. William Harris, and supervised by our chief operating officer, John F. Knight Jr., which is commonly referred to as zero-based budgeting,” Mullinax said.
Mullinax said that the new budgeting process started this fiscal year and that ASU has used its $6.13 million in stimulus money for infrastructure needs and has not used it to fund salaries or benefits.
Jim Bookout, senior vice chancellor for finance and business affairs at Troy, said the university redirected existing funds and used the nearly $8.6 million in federal stimulus money it received to retain all of its current positions and create 58 part-time adjunct faculty positions for its Alabama campuses.
“Layoffs are our very last option during lean times, and we have been tightening our belts for some time in anticipation of lower operating funds,” Bookout said. “While we do not know the extent of future funding reductions, Troy developed a 21-month plan when the first prorated budget was announced.
“We have taken steps within that plan to reduce costs in certain areas in order to preclude layoffs,” he said. “Troy will freeze vacant positions, and take other steps before considering any layoffs of employees.”
The state’s largest universities — Auburn University and the University of Alabama — also have no plans to make any reductions in staff, but there are concerns.
Cathy Andreen, spokeswoman with UA, said the university has mitigated a $56 million reduction in state appropriations without layoffs or program cuts because of a growth in enrollment and tuition increase. The university used its $32.3 million in stimulus funding to provide scholarships for Alabama residents.
Auburn spokesman Mike Clardy said the university has created or retained more than 400 jobs because of stimulus money. The money also helped the university avoid raising tuition. But Clardy said because of the dire budget projections, the possibility of layoffs still looms.
“If we have to make those decisions, we would proceed as we have with budget cuts we’ve already undertaken and keep them as far away from the classroom and instruction as possible,” he said. “We are very protective of our high academic quality.”
