Hundreds of Albany State University faculty, staff, and students attended a town hall meeting to learn about how the proposed budget cuts could potentially affect their education
Read more: Local, Politics, Education, ASU, Albany State University, Town Hall, Meeting, Budget Cuts, Program Cut, President Freeman, $3.8 Million, University System of Georgia
Faculty, staff, and students packed the gym at Albany State University to hear what the administration has to say about the proposed budget cuts.
Larry Wakefield, Vice President of ASU’s Fiscal Affairs says the school was given 48 hours to make a 19% cut to their budget without including furlough days or pay cuts. “There are no easy cuts anymore. We cut the low hanging fruit in the past. That’s why this is ugly looking in terms of how the program cuts will affect people” says Wakefield. Officials say the decision to make cuts was not easy and not taken lightly.
Students FOX 31 News spoke with say they’re all concerned about the affect the budget cuts will have on them personally and academically. Students asked questions regarding which programs would be cut, who would lose their job, and will tuition see a major hike.
President Everett Freeman reassured all in attendance that the budget cut exercise was an informational exercise only, even though they know real budget cuts will come in the near future. “Any student majoring in an area we may have to cut will still be able to graduate with that major. A budget cut would simply mean the program would no longer accept any new students” says Freeman.
Some freshman worried they may need to transfer schools in order to pursue their academic major, while other students are concerned ASU will lose its university status and revert back to a college.
Albany State is potentially facing $3.8 million dollars in cuts for fiscal year 2011.
