University faculty and staff recognize obstacles created by the budget cuts imposed by the state, but remain optimistic about the University’s ability to avoid significant impact to students and programs.The University is being forced to scale back because of mid-year budget cuts by the state government, which is facing a financial deficit. To save money, higher education institutions in Louisiana must spend less money than originally allocated.Kevin Cope, Faculty Senate president, said he blames the government for the cuts.”We see the cumulative effect of many years of incompetence within the state government,” Cope said.Budget cuts at LSU are, at this point, an “unavoidable reality,” said Chad Gothreaux, Staff Senate president-elect. Gothreaux says the administration must face the cut and attempt to manage it in a way that will have the least impact on students.To prevent academic interference, Gothreaux said a large portion of spending reduction will be cutbacks to campus maintenance. He acknowledged these projects are important, but said the administration is focusing on academics first.Roy Dokka, member of the Faculty Senate Committee on Multidisciplinary Research and Education, agrees.”This won’t cut into the muscle of the University,” Dokka said. “We don’t want to see students interrupted in their programs.”While academics may not be impacted negatively this semester, faculty and staff members realize they may be affected indirectly. Some vacant positions at the University will remain unfilled to save money.Patricia Beste, Staff Senate president, said that strategy could create a burden for others.”Staff members may be affected in departments where they will have to carry extra weight with open positions,” he said.Faculty and staff feel positive about Chancellor Michael Martin’s handling of the situation.Gothreaux said he appreciates the way Martin has been open with staff members about the circumstances.Beste is also pleased with Martin’s availability during the budget revision process.”Communication is the most important thing that the administration can do with regards to the faculty, and they seem to be doing a good job of that,” Dokka said.—–Contact Ryan Buxton at [email protected].