The last of five Board of Regents listening sessions was held Monday at the University Research Park in Madison to discuss proposed budget cuts and the effect they would have on campuses as well as on surrounding communities.

A number of representatives from universities, including deans, students and professors, as well as members of local businesses, convened for the discussion to express their concerns with the budget.

UW-Madison Provost Peter Spear emphasized the $23 million in cuts that Madison, in particular, will face. He also noted the loss of approximately 50 to 60 faculty positions on campus coming as early as this fall.

What seemed to hit home to many students as well as professors on the round table were the hundreds of courses that will possibly be cut, and the corresponding extreme increase in class size and decrease in discussion sections that will have to take place.

“Tuition is the bottom line for most students,” UW-Madison senior Mike Whitcomb said.

“I urge you to find a good balance between raising tuition and cutting departments.”

However, other individuals around the table felt differently about proposed tuition increases. Ted Richards, CEO of Strand Associates, was set on maintaining the quality of engineers that UW System schools produce. He noted that it costs more to educate an engineer and said, “I’d hope tuition could be raised more than reduce programs.”

Philip R. Certain, dean of the College of Letters and Science, noted the extreme cuts his school, in particular, is facing.

“The cuts that we face are deep,” Certain said. “We must be realistic … Cuts can destroy excellence.”

Certain also said that 200 elective courses will be cut if Doyle’s budget is passed as is. He said this would add enrollment pressure on required courses for all UW-Madison students.

“L&S is essential to undergraduate success,” Certain said. He also said that cuts “threaten our ability to recruit and maintain top faculty and students.”

At the end of the formal listening session, audience members had an opportunity to voice concerns regarding the matter at hand.

Austin Evans, who identified himself as a L&S representative, said that these classes in the College of Letters and Science are what make up an education at UW-Madison. He also noted his frustration with the location of the listening session and with the small proportion of students — five out of more than 30 people — at the round table.

“There are 40,000 students that we left behind today,” Evans said.