There is no end in sight for the budget crisis facing Ohio colleges and universities. That’s what Chris Dalton, vice president of finance and administration at the University, told senators at the Undergraduate Student Government meeting last night.
“It is likely that higher education is going to be struggling,” Dalton said.
The main campus of BGSU would likely see more state budget cuts in the next two years, according to a budget draft from the Ohio Board of Regents. The draft projected a 5 percent funding decrease for BGSU in 2006, with a total of about $70.5 million. In 2007, that would mean a 1.9 percent decrease in funding, with a total of about $69.2 million for BGSU.
However, the same budget draft would increase state funding to the BGSU-Firelands campus. For 2006, there would be a 9.9 percent funding increase for BGSU-Firelands, with a total of about $3.7 million. In 2007, BGSU-Firelands would receive about $3.9 million, which would be a 4.2 percent increase.
Dalton also presented proposed state budget for the fiscal years of 2006 and 2007 from the Ohio Office of Budget and Management in February. An estimated $2,503.7 million would be spent on higher education in 2006. That is a 0.4 percent increase from 2005. In 2007, that budget would be $2,552.5 million. That is a 1.4 percent increase for higher education. It is branches of universities — like BGSU-Firelands — and community colleges that would likely see that increase.
The University has already suffered from recent state budget cuts, Dalton said. President Sidney Ribeau has already ordered a permanent $3.2 million reduction in non-instructional areas, and about $5 million of reductions for instructional areas, Dalton said. Also, no more employees will be hired to fill vacant positions. This could mean fewer custodians and administrative staff, he said. Dalton said that the hiring freeze has gone on for about two and a half years.
Gov. Bob Taft has proposed an increase in the sin tax on cigarettes and alcohol, and that would help to fund higher education. But Dalton warned that students shouldn’t count on the sin tax increase.
“The point of going through all this,” Dalton said, “On the tax side or the revenue side, the governor is basically making some very tough proposals that there’s no guarantee that the legislature is necessarily going to adopt.”
The governor makes recommendations this month. The recommendation then goes to the House of Representatives, who will vote in April. Then the Senate will receive the plan from the House, and the Senate will vote in May or June. At that time, the budget will go back to the governor who may approve or veto the budget.
All of these budget cuts could mean an increase in tuition for students across the state.
“We’re really facing a difficult situation where the state support for higher education is diminishing,” Dalton said.
