Possible funding cuts ahead

By Ali Cicerchi

UK is preparing for possible budget cuts after a projected shortfall of nearly $300 million in the state budget was announced by Gov. Steve Beshear on Oct. 30.

UK President Lee Todd said in an e-mail that he does not think that UK can afford any more cuts.

“The short answer is no, but unfortunately I don’t get to decide that,” Todd said in the e-mail.

The governor’s office does not know what kind of cuts will need to be made or to where, spokesperson for the governor Jay Blanton said.

“It’s too soon to tell,” Blanton said. “We have called on the Consensus Forecasting Group to tell us if we are accurate on the shortfall.”

The governor’s office is hoping to hear back from the group in the next few weeks, Blanton said. He thinks there will definitely be a response by early December.

Currently, UK is preparing for cuts by delaying purchases, reducing travel and other expenses, Todd said.

“We have put restrictions on the hiring of new staff and are now requiring greater justification and approvals before any vacant position can be filled,” Todd said. “However, we are focused on making sure that our students will have all their needed classes. It is imperative that we take actions now to minimize the impact of greater cuts.”

College administrators are preparing for possible cuts as well.

Dean of the College of Nursing Jane Kirschling said budget cuts have already impacted her college.

“We went through a 3 percent cut last year,” Kirschling said. “It’s going to be extremely difficult it we are asked to cut more because we are on a growth pattern.”

Ben Withers, the department chair of art in the College of Fine Arts, said the art department absorbed about a 3 percent budget cut.

“In practical terms, we lost a full faculty line,” Withers said.

Withers said any more cuts would put the art department in the same situation as last year.

“We have very little room to absorb budget cuts,” he said. “We would have to cut faculty positions and that would directly affect students.”

In terms of cuts, Todd said “everything would be on the table.”

“Obviously the state and national economies are in turmoil right now and we probably haven’t seen the worst of it,” Todd said. “With declining revenues the state must find a way to balance its budget, but I have and continue to strongly advocate that the only way Kentucky can dig its way out this economic hole is to invest in education.”