And another class bites the dust

Economic times are tough. Nothing is a greater testament to this than the atrocities that have been occurring this week on our campus. The University System of Georgia is currently attempting to cut $300 million from the 2011 bugdet in addition to the $265 million already cut from the budget for the fiscal year.

"In response to a request on Wed., Feb. 24, 2010, from the chairmen of the House and Senate Appropriations Higher Education Subcommittees, today University System of Georgia (USG) Chancellor Erroll B. Davis Jr. submitted documents detailing how the USG and its 35 colleges and universities would manage an additional $300 million in reductions to state appropriations in the upcoming Fiscal Year 2011 budget, said Enroll Davis, Chancellor of the USG."

These budget cuts will be a devastating blow to the 35 colleges and universities around the state. What could this mean for our humble south Georgia college? This will mean an additional $14.7 million dollar reduction in funds from the state government on top of the already anticipated $11 million cut. This will in turn mean fewer upper division classes, higher student fees, more expenisve tuition, and the list goes on. Basically this means less for your money. However, if you're an incoming freshman you have nothing to worry about, because there are plenty of core classes for you to take at the campus that doesn't have enough teachers or classrooms to support you. Instead of cutting upper division elective course, why did the administration not choose to freeze enrollment? Why is the number of students so much more important than the quality of our education and our ability to graduate in a timely manner?
In a letter written to the state legislature Davis requested a reconsideration of these cuts.

"First, we continue to hope that it will not be necessary to reduce the budget of the University System by an additional $300 million. Second, 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," he said.

Rumors have been floating around campus since President Keel announced the cuts to our university. The nursing program is being eliminated, ROTC is being downsized, professors are going from tenured to associated. There is a panic erupting on campus and overflowing onto social networking sites like Facebook. I have received multiple group requests to protest the budget cuts and write our representatives so our voices are heard.

"Legislative budget writers and University System officials meeting Wednesday agreed on one thing: neither wants to implement the full list of possible cuts issued by the system Monday," reported Savannahnow.com.

However, it is not clear how severe the cuts will be, however, there are more realistic places to cut funding than the state's system for higher education. These cuts would be devestating to our university and the welfare of the students here. President Keel has issued several statements on this matter and has requested students to write their representatives, donate money, and notify alumni and friends for their help and support. Now when I walk around campus and see mulch being put under the trees or the sprinklers running in Sweetheart Circle while it's raining I just chuckle to myself and think,"Well there is my upper division Comm Studies class going down the drain."

In my opinion, Keel could have cut the bus system, froze construction, postponed campus beautification, or like I said before, froze enrollment numbers to a level that is actually sustainable on our campus. His decision to furlough teachers and cut classes could possibly be one of the worst decisions he could ever make as a president, and it does not send a very comforting message to the students during his young presidency. Maybe his first look should have been at his own salary. Is that something he's willing to sacrifice while he's asking me to sacrifice the quality of my education?