Back story

Despite pleading from school officials and students alike, it seems more and more likely UW branches will be forced to take the brunt of the massive budget cuts that the state has been experiencing in the wake of a continuing national recession.

In a recent budget proposal, Gov. Doyle declared that a $250 million cut to the University of Wisconsin System is necessary. In the 2003-2004 academic year, $110 million needs to be eliminated and $140 million in the 2004-2005 academic year. Doyle’s 2003-05 biennial budget proposal contains five general categories of cuts: base and budget positions, tuition, financial aid, personnel issues and other. While all categories affect the condition and structure of UW-Madison, it seems the first two topics in particular have students and faculty quite concerned.

Even though the legislation has not officially passed, many colleges and academic departments within the Madison campus are scrambling to find ways to accommodate the pending financial setback.

Plan of action

UW’s initial step towards stabilizing the financial deficit is to raise tuition. The governor’s biennial plan “caps tuition increases at UW-Madison and UW-Milwaukee at $350 a semester or $700 each year of the two year biennium.”

While these numbers cause concern amongst students, the proposal also states, “Even with a $700 annual increase, UW-Madison resident undergraduate tuition would still be the second lowest in the Big Ten.”

Tuition increases are not enough though, as $38.5 million would still need to be stripped from the university’s budget. As a result, UW’s administration took the next big cut.

Kent Barrett, spokesperson for UW, said the university has one of the most inexpensive administrative systems in the country and that further cuts would be detrimental.

“Most of the administration took an 8 percent cut, and that is very difficult,” Barrett said.

While administration setbacks would help eliminate the deficit, UW would still have excess funding. The last step, and maybe the most severe, is a reduction in the number of faculty members and the number classes offered at UW.

Since this move contains potential for serious repercussions, Barrett said many faculty members have come together to decide exactly how the three colleges and 17 schools will handle the monetary cutbacks.

“The deans presented their own plan,” Barrett said. “The chancellor then looked over the proposals and determined which colleges would take cuts.”

While the decision is ultimately left to the chancellor, Barrett said the deans played an enormous role in this process.

“[UW] is really de-centralized,” Barrett said. “The deans are allowed to suggest and make the cuts because they know what’s best for their college.”

Barrett said the deans determined the benefits of each course before deciding which to eliminate.

“[The deans considered] courses that were least needed: electives or those with small enrollment,” Barrett said. “They also looked at whether the courses were available elsewhere.”

College of Letters and Science Dean Phillip Certain said L&S has been asked to sustain a 6.5 percent financial cut. Therefore, he and his staff are doing their best to establish priorities on what will be maintained faculty and course wise.

“We are preserving those courses needed for first-year students and [retaining whole] majors like calculus and chemistry,” Certain said. “Courses that are needed for seniors to graduate on time are also carefully considered.”

The number of lecture courses available, Certain said, will change dramatically.

“Last fall, 2002, the timetable listed 1239 courses, next fall there will be 1207,” Certain said. “However, that [last] number is subject to change.”

Certain also said some departments will have to take on more cuts than others since the financial restrictions are not across the board.

The L&S English department staff are shooting to cut half a million dollars, said department Chair Betsy Drain.

“We regret the cuts we’ve had to make,” Drain said. “We think they will adversely affect the students.”

Drain said her department will have to remove some courses and faculty members, making it more difficult for students to obtain specific degree requirements.

“It’s going to be harder for students to have their introduction in literature and communication b requirements fulfilled,” Drain said. “In addition, it will be harder for students in upper-level courses [to take the necessary classes] because the lectures won’t be available.”

Faculty cuts are difficult to determine for large departments like L&S English, said Drain.

“Departments where there aren’t many retirements are in trouble, and that’s where we are,” Drain said. “We’re not firing any faculty or assistant faculty, but people who are considered for potential cuts are TAs.”

Reduction in faculty size also affects departmental research because each faculty member is estimated to receive research grants that fund about 10 students. Therefore, Drain said decreasing the amount of faculty will force the department to lose more funding in the long-run.

“This whole process is very painful,” Drain said.

Dean of the College and Engineering Paul Peercy said COE must reduce spending by 5 to 6 percent. In terms of courses, Peercy said his staff is looking at canceling those with low enrollment numbers or combining smaller classes with similar topics.

“For most departments, these kinds of cuts will be typical,” Peercy said “We’re trying to avoid cutting the essential courses.”

Apart from retaining the academic structure of COE, Peercy said the preservation of his faculty is his highest priority.

“We don’t want to reduce faculty or discourage new [faculty] members who are getting into some really interesting fields here,” Peercy said. “We’re going to have to live with the cuts, [but] we’re not willing to give up.”

Similar to L&S, Peercy said his college is not handing out standard cuts to each department. Furthermore, because of the recent awareness of the budget cuts, the reductions will not be easy.

“Over the summer some departments will choose to close sections that aren’t completely filled,” Peercy said. “If we had had more time to prepare, some sections may not have been affected.”

Students are going to be immediately affected, as classes they already registered for may be eliminated before the fall semester, said Peercy.

In response, Peercy said COE is not happy about the situation they are in because of the short- and long-term effects it will produce.

“We have to cut sections, [and with] fewer seats available, everyone may not graduate on time,” Peercy said. “But, we don’t have many alternatives.”

Effect on Students

As a result of the proposed budget cuts, more than 400 courses have the potential of being erased from UW’s timetable. The Theater and Drama department may face a huge loss as five of their essential backstage classes may be dropped.

“[For productions], practicum students are the ones who fashion all the costumes, props, scenes and special effects,” said Michael Cottom, a TA in the theater and drama department. “Without those students we don’t have a production.”

Cottom is currently instructing course 161, Backstage Laboratory I, and says any cuts to the department effect more than just the students enrolled in the courses.

“This is a nationally recognized program, one of the best in the country,” Cottom said. ” Without students, the program will be severely hampered.”

First-year student Amy Sawyer was shocked and concerned after hearing about the potential budget cuts.

“When are they going to bring this to the attention of the students?” Sawyer asked.

Sawyer also says that courses like 161 greatly benefit students, since they teach interpersonal skills as well as providing hands-on theater experience.

“How typical [it is that] a class that’s more geared towards the arts would be dropped,” Sawyer said. “It detracts more and more from the liberal arts aspect of Madison.”

Fellow student Jung Kim shared Sawyer’s sentiments.

“If there’s no class, who’s going to paint the stages [for productions]?” Jung said. “[UW] is just going to have to hire people, and that would cost them more money in the end.”

Final Say

While UW has not officially determined what courses will and will not be available in the following years, the outlook appears grim. As the faculty tries its best to preserve the the academic departments essential courses, some students are left feeling neglected, cheated and anxious to learn just which of the courses they planned to enroll for will never be.

“I get the idea that there’s no way for students to win,” conceded UW junior Eric J. Miller. “Rather than getting a specific, in-depth education, [students] are getting the short-end of the stick.”