Although the Chancellor’s Budget Advisory Committee understands that the University needs to save money, committee members say Academic Affairs is carrying too much of the University’s money burdens.

Because of tuition waiver penalties, enrollment shortfalls that led to a base reduction in the University’s budget and a monetary reserve set aside for University emergencies, SIUC’s budget shortfall is estimated to be about $8.6 million for fiscal year 1997.

Michael Youngblood, Chairman of the Chancellor’s Budget Advisory Committee and Senate Budget Committee, said the administration is asking too much money to be saved from Academic Affairs, which is responsible for faculty and academic programs, in comparison to what is being asked of other departments.

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Youngblood said the chancellor’s committee wrote a recommendation Monday to SIUC Chancellor John C. Guyon and other administrators requesting that the University take larger cuts out of other departments to lesson Academic Affairs’ burden.

Youngblood said each department must pay a certain amount of money into the monetary reserve requirement for emergencies. He said Academic Affairs was asked to find $1.8 million in its budget.

That amount is too high when compared to Student Affairs, which was asked to find $97,000, and Institutional Advancement, which was asked to find $96,000, Youngblood said.

A majority of the money is coming out of Academic Affairs, he said. Academic Affairs is responsible for many functions of the University, and we’re hoping they’ll re-examine their thinking.

When the budget problems were first becoming obvious to the University, SIU President Ted Sanders created a set of budget guidelines for the University. In response to Sanders’ guidelines, the administration came up with plans to help alleviate the budget problems.

One part of the plan resulted in the creation of the Chancellor’s Budget Advisory Committee designed to make recommendations to the administration. Another part of the plan requests that each department and unit within the University come up with their share of money to help the University out of its money problems.

Bill Karrow, Graduate and Professional Student Council president, said he also thinks that Academic Affairs is being hit too hard by the budget proposal. He said he is afraid that the cuts in Academic Affairs will adversely affect SIUC students and faculty.

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Karrow said the cuts essentially mean that the number of faculty at SIUC will be cut and that professors will teach larger classes.

Academic Affairs is getting hit too hard, he said. I hate to see teachers go when they have a centralized role here at the University.

Youngblood said this is the first recommendation the committee has sent to the administration. He said it is possible that recommendations may change weekly. Because these are only recommendations, Youngblood said he is not sure what the administration’s response will be.

Guyon said he has received the committee’s proposal but is not willing to comment on it yet.