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UTSA Budget and Legislature Update from President Romo
May 14, 2003
To the UTSA Community,
Thank you all for your efforts to make UTSA the great university it is today! In our short history, this university has come a long way toward becoming one of the state's next premier research institutions -- thanks to the hard work and enthusiasm of our community.
Recently, you may have heard about significant proposed reductions in the state budget and how they will impact public universities. It is important for you to know that tough financial challenges face our university, and I am confident that we will meet these challenges if we continue to work together and plan accordingly.
I want to take this time to shed some light on the proposed budgets coming from both the Senate and House chambers and what they currently mean to the UTSA community.
As you know, we implemented a 7 percent budget reduction for the spring and summer semesters, as mandated for all state agencies by Governor Perry. Additionally, the Senate recently announced that it completed its version of a state budget for the next biennium. The Senate budget represents a $117.7 billion spending plan for the next biennium, which includes $128.3 million for UTSA. It reflects a 6.2 percent reduction in UTSA's budget from the current level of $136.8 million.
The House version of the budget completed two weeks ago reflects a proposed state-spending plan of $117 billion -- $728 million less than the Senate's plan. The House version includes a budget of $118.8 million for UTSA, or a 13.1 percent cut. The two chambers also differ in their approach to fee flexibility and allowing institutions to retain indirect cost revenues generated from grants and contracts.
A legislative conference committee has been appointed to evaluate options for cutting state services and finding non-tax revenue to cover the projected $9.9 billion budget shortfall. Keep in mind, these are proposed cuts effective September 1, 2003, through August 31, 2005.
When the state adopts a single budget, only then can we determine precisely how it will affect UTSA and how we provide quality student services and faculty support. Although the 78th legislative session is not over until June 2, some universities have already announced changes that involve drastic measures including layoffs, restructuring, the delaying of programs and construction projects, and hiring freezes.
While we will fulfill the state's request to reduce an estimated $8.5 to $18 million from UTSA's budget, depending on which version of the budget is approved, our intention is to maintain current services using a pro-growth strategy.
We will need to change the way we do business, and may have to move personnel from one department to another to respond to the state budget challenges, but there will not be layoffs at UTSA. Given UTSA's serious space deficiency, we also do not intend to delay our construction programs.
The wise management of resources generated from past and future revenue growth provides UTSA important flexibility in dealing with these challenges. New revenues are being examined to see how they can best be used to support institutional goals.
We are also evaluating certain targeted expenditure areas including energy,
travel, entertainment, memberships, printing and publications. We may also
have to increase the size of some classes. Depending on the final version
of the tuition-flexibility bill, we may also increase tuition to offset our
budget cuts. Again, these are preliminary strategies under consideration until
the Legislature and the governor finalize a budget.
I am meeting with administrators regularly to continue budget-strategy sessions
that started nearly one year ago in anticipation of a tough legislative session.
Each vice president will identify strategies to meet future needs within their
areas of responsibility. Small working groups are reviewing the targeted expenditure
areas mentioned previously.
I should emphasize that UTSA will not take an across-the-board approach in
identifying reductions. We will instead identify specific targeted revenues
and expenditures so that resources can be concentrated to support our core
educational mission.
Because state funds support academic programs most directly, we will do everything
possible to ensure that teaching and learning programs are not disproportionately
affected. Our primary and long-term educational mission, including the development
of new programs, should not be jeopardized during this state budget crisis.
We must continue to encourage all people in this community to pursue higher education, and once they are enrolled, it is our job to ensure that they successfully graduate from UTSA. This commitment to the success of our current and future students is a fundamental value that we will aggressively seek to protect.
Our Bexar County legislative delegation and their staff members are doing an outstanding job for us in Austin, and we continue to work with them on a variety of legislative initiatives to support higher education. UTSA students, alumni, development board members and community leaders continue to visit Austin to advocate for UTSA. Please thank them all for their efforts on behalf of higher education. In addition to state support, we continue to seek support from our congressional delegation, various foundations, individuals, the private sector and federal research programs.
If you have specific questions at this time, please do not hesitate to communicate
them to me at president@utsa.edu
or the vice president in your respective area.
Thank you for all your efforts at UTSA and for your hard work educating UTSA's
students.
Ricardo Romo
President, The University of Texas at San Antonio
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UTSA-Air Force biotechnology center to be dedicated Aug. 26Portions of Buena Vista Street Building closing this weekend
UTSA community invited to Week of Welcome activities
Unprotected personal computers put UTSA network at risk
New UTSA Web page: And now for something completely different
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© The University of Texas at San Antonio, 2003