Well, given their actions, my students won't be going . . .

Colleges outline massive cuts to help balance state budget
By Aaron Gould Sheinin
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Georgia's colleges and universities would have to lay off thousands of employees, severely limit incoming freshman classes and eliminate popular programs that extend far beyond campus confines if the state's higher education system is forced to cut nearly $600 million from its budget.

The stark reality of the proposed cuts is revealed in a series of plans the schools have submitted in advance of a hearing Wednesday before lawmakers who demanded the proposals. The General Assembly is searching for ways to fill a potential $1.1 billion budget deficit for the fiscal year that begins July 1.

According to a report prepared by the University System of Georgia, about 2,500 filled faculty and staff jobs would be eliminated at Georgia State University, Georgia Tech and the University of Georgia, with the Athens school accounting for more than half. Among the most eye-popping cuts include closing UGA's statewide 4-H program and half of its county extension offices, elimination of more than 500 course sections at Georgia Tech and the closing of GSU's Brookhaven campus.

"We strongly believe that cuts of this nature, if implemented, would severely compromise our ability to provide the educated populace that is necessary for the continued success of this state," Chancellor Erroll Davis said in a letter Monday to key lawmakers. "Such a reduction would dramatically and negatively alter a university system in which the people of this state have invested so much; a reduction of this size is not in the best interest of Georgia and its future economic development."

Davis, chancellor of the University System of Georgia, last week was grilled by lawmakers in a joint House-Senate budget hearing. Unsatisfied with Davis' presentation on the impact past cuts have had, they ordered him to come back this week with detailed plans on how to cut up to $300 million above the $265 million in cuts that Gov. Sonny Perdue has already recommended for the University System. While the schools have already made most of the cuts needed to reach Perdue's mark, which they've known about for months, the additional $300 million could be devastating, Davis said.

Davis met Monday with key lawmakers and members of the Board of Regents, the University System's governing body. It was a productive meeting, said Rep. Earl Ehrhart (R-Powder Springs), who chairs the House subcommittee that controls higher education spending.

"It looks like the presidents have done a credible job of taking a look at some of the things that could be the outcome if we have to go to $300 million in cuts," Ehrhart said, adding that $300 million remains a worst-case scenario.

The true number won't be known for some time because the state's economic situation is in flux. Lawmakers are still grappling with how deeply to cut the current year's state budget before turning their attention to cuts for 2011.

At last week's hearing, Davis said it would take a tuition increase of 77 percent to raise just more than half of the necessary cuts. Ehrhart said Monday that such a tuition hike is unlikely.

"You're going to see a combination of some more cuts and probably some tuition increases," he said.

There are more than 300,000 students in the University System, and Davis said more than half participate in a program that locks in their tuition for four years, meaning any increase in rates would not apply to them. But Ehrhart said that leaves about 150,000 students, and if each of them paid an extra $1,000 a year, that would raise $150 million.

Schools have been warning faculty, staff and students of what's to come. In a memo last week, Kennesaw State University President Daniel Papp said the cuts, estimated at $14 million for KSU alone, would be "an immense setback, even a disaster." The university would have to cap or cut back student enrollment and eliminate some faculty and staff positions.

At the University of West Georgia in Carrollton, President Beheruz Sethna warned in a memo last week that should the school be forced to find an additional $8 million in cuts, it would require "very major cuts and changes across UWG -- very likely all or most of them being harmful ones."

But Senate Majority Leader Chip Rogers (R-Woodstock) said Monday that cuts are coming, they will be painful and they are unavoidable.

"With the revenue shrinking the way it has, there will be considerable changes to the way state government is run, and it'll affect every single department of state government," he said.

Thousands more state employees are likely to be laid off or offered early retirement, should that become an option.

"Layoffs are part of this," he said. "The people of Georgia need to be prepared."

Deep cuts to colleges

Here's a look at how UGA and metro Atlanta schools plan to address budget cuts:

University of Georgia

Cut: $58.9 million

Positions eliminated: 1,418

Other: Reduce incoming freshman body by about a third; eliminate 4-H; reduce support for Veterinarian Medical Teaching Hospital by 66 percent

Georgia Institute of Technology

Cut: $38.07 million

Positions eliminated: 452

Other: Decrease admissions by 20 percent; eliminate 150-200 research positions; increase student-faculty ratio to 24-1

Georgia State University

Cut: $34.12 million

Positions eliminated: 622

Other: Reduce freshmen and transfers by 1,000; close Brookhaven campus; eliminate 396 course sections; close Fiscal Research Center and Capitol Hill Child Enrichment Center; eliminate Georgia Health Policy Center

Medical College of Georgia

Cut: $25.57 million

Positions eliminated: 63

Other: Accept 155 fewer students

Kennesaw State University

Cut: $14.12 million

Positions eliminated: 224

Other: Reduce freshmen and transfers by 10 percent; eliminate Center for Excellence in Teaching and select degree programs in education, business, humanities and social studies

Clayton State University

Cut: $4.19 million

Positions eliminated: 24

Other: Reduce 168 course sections

Georgia Gwinnett College

Cut: $2.66 million

Positions eliminated: 32

Other: Cap enrollment at 3,000, affecting 2,000 students; delay nursing program

Atlanta Metropolitan College

Cut: $1.37 million

Positions eliminated: 5

Other: Eliminate 38 course offerings; eliminate local match for transportation project

Georgia Perimeter College

Cut $9.92 million

Positions eliminated: 50

Other: Eliminate programs affecting 4,748 students