“Chats with the Chancellor” got off to a slightly unexpected start Tuesday, but the topic of most students’ questions was less than surprising.Chancellor Michael Martin didn’t arrive until about noon to the 11:30 forum in Free Speech Alley because of a morning press conference.Eric Monday, vice chancellor of Finance and Administrative Services, filled in until Martin arrived, and both met questions mainly about budget cuts from the handful of students present.Monday said there are several criteria to evaluate academic programs and their importance to the University, and programs that don’t meet the criteria may be subject to cuts — which he said should lead to fewer, but better academic programs. Kendra Brumfield, international studies senior, asked Martin if budget cuts would hurt study abroad and other international programs.”I haven’t seen anything yet that could hurt that program,” Martin said. Another student negatively commented on increased class size. Martin said he hopes the student-to-teacher ratio can be improved.Chris Siverd, civil engineering senior, asked if the University should shift toward being more research-oriented”Our student body is 17 percent grad students, while other schools average about 22 percent grad students,” Martin said. “I think the solution is to bring more students into the University. Right now, our student body is about 28,000 students, and I would like to see it reach 32,000.”Students were also concerened about a tuition increase. “If tuition is increased, TOPS will cover it,” Martin said. “I would rather there be a tuition increase than a fee increase.”But Martin said he doesn’t feel TOPS is the program it used to be.”I think that TOPS should be a reward for students who worked hard in high school,” Martin said. “It isn’t quite as elite as it should be.”  He said he did some crude math to figure out some numbers.”If the ACT score were changed from a 21 to a 23, the state could save $30 million,” Martin said. He also said he feels work-study, another method of financial aid for students, is under-invested.”I think the criteria for work study is a little too strict,” Martin said.SG handed out free scantrons, blue books and packs of trail mix at the event. —-Contact Mandy Francois at [email protected]