The University Faculty Senate is requesting the U.S. Department of Education to delay measures allowing the state to further cut funding levels to higher education. Faculty Senate President Kevin Cope wrote a letter last week asking the U.S. Secretary of Education for a delay in a waiver allowing the state to cut funding for higher education below the 2006 funding levels. To further cut state funding for higher education, the state must apply for a federal waiver because of rules tied to federal stimulus dollars the state is receiving, Cope said. Federal stimulus funds forbid states with stimulus dollars from cutting higher education below 2006 levels, Cope said. ‘Until we can get some understanding of what the decision-making process is and consider alternatives, we are seeking a delay on actions,’ Cope said. ‘So far there has been no real opportunity for debate.’ Cope claims the state hasn’t been forthcoming with where the funding level stands. The faculty was under the impression the University had not crossed below the 2006 levels for funding, Cope said. ‘In mid-January they announced that the funding had dropped below that level,’ Cope said. ‘There is a puzzling inconsistency in the state budget figures.’ This inconsistency and the hope the state will not allow the University to sink below the 2006 funding level motivated Cope to write the letter. ‘We are not asking for the waiver to be denied,’ Cope said. ‘We simply want a delay until there can be a public hearing or an audit, so the funding level and intentions of the state can be more clear.’ Cope said there is a possibility the state could lose federal stimulus dollars if the waiver gets denied by the federal government – a loss which would ultimately put a greater burden on higher education. The University is coming off $12.6 million in cuts earlier this year. The University funding was cut $43 million overall during the last year. Higher education will take about $150 million in cuts during the next fiscal year because of a $1.9 billion shortfall in state funds for the next two years. ‘Ultimately I think everyone in the University realizes you must change the decision process and give the University some freedom to raise funds and extract the University from legislative control,’ Cope said. ‘
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– – – – Contact Xerxes A. Wilson at [email protected]