by Wendy J. Allyn

Attempting to influence expected budget cuts throughout the University, the Graduate and Professional Student Council voted Wednesday to establish graduate student representation on SIUC budget planning committees.

A recent decline in SIUC student enrollment requires compensation for a $1 million shortfall in the University’s tuition income fund, and GPSC members said they are concerned about how cuts to academic programs will affect students.

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According to the resolution, education is affected by University budget decisions, and graduate and professional students should be active participants in the budgeting process to contribute their opinion and inform their constituents.

GPSC member Fred Jacobs said more representation is necessary because students have heard rumors about what will be cut, including many summer school programs, but they need to be better informed.

We’ve all heard these rumors, but we really don’t know what’s on the table. None of this stuff is out in the open, Jacobs said.

Graduate School Dean John Yopp said the SIUC Graduate School alone faces $60,000 in cuts. A financial planning committee is making recommendations on where the cuts should be taken, he said.

The committee consists of GPSC representatives and an executive committee from the Graduate Council, an elected body of graduate faculty, responsible for passing graduate school policies.

This committee is going through the entire budget of the Graduate School and looking for ways to prioritize where we will be taking budget cuts, Yopp said. We’re going to determine where we can best take these cuts without affecting our students.

Yopp said the committee will be making a report of its recommendations in December. He said that should give ample time for consideration and revision to the planned cuts because final decisions regarding cuts are not expected to be made until February.

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Yopp commended the GPSC for its efforts to become involved and remain informed about the budget situation.

There are some very strong representatives on the council, he said. It’s been years since I’ve seen this much interest in things that will affect students.

GPSC also passed a resolution at Wednesday’s meeting requesting disclosure of funds allocated for the Night Safety Van.

A portion of student fee money goes to the Campus Fee Safety Board for the van’s operation. The van formerly transported students around campus after dark, but the mass transit buses have taken over its route.

The resolution also calls for disclosure of the cost to mass transit for taking over the Night Safety Van route.

GPSC President William Karrow said because student money is involved, the council wants to know exactly what is being done with the money for the van now that it no longer runs a route. Council members attempted to obtain the information before the resolution, but were unsuccessful, he said.

In addition, $500 was allocated by GPSC at the meeting to the SIU Alumni Association for providing the Pulliam clock tower with lights. GPSC President Bill Karrow said it was an appropriate, long-term investment in the campus.