by Julie Eklund
Staff Writer
Two percent budget cut proposals from each of the 11 divisions at the University of La Verne have now been submitted to the Finance Department.
The divisions include the schools of Arts and Sciences, Business and Economics, Organizational Management, Continuing Education and Law. Other offices affected are the offices of Academic Affairs, Enrollment Services, Student Affairs, University Relations, Administration and Finance, and the President’s Office.
The budget cut was announced in February, and is due to low student enrollment in some of the graduate and off-campus programs.
It was up to the discretion of each division where the reductions would be taken. Each individual departmental budget did not have to be reduced, as long as the division as a whole could cut its expenditures by 2 percent.
“All the divisions participated in the budget reduction, but it doesn’t mean that every budget in every division gets cut,” said Steve Grey, chief financial officer for the University.
Examples of the types of items that were affected by the 2 percent cut include office supplies, equipment, professional conferences and out-of-state travel.
“I don’t see that there would be a direct application to student services,” Grey said.
Indeed, none of the departments made cuts that would affect student services or the amount of classes offered. The staff and professors of the University will not be changed.
In an effort to increase enrollment, consultants are being brought in to audit the marketing programs of the University. Those efforts are starting with the off-campus School of Continuing Education, as it has recently experienced especially low enrollment.
Within the next month, members of the senior management team, composed of the deans, vice presidents, chief financial officer and president of the university, will meet to review the status of the school’s budget.
When the budget is calculated for the next fiscal year, this year’s cut will be taken into consideration, so that another one will not be necessary next year.
“We are not in a crisis situation by any means,” said Dr. John Gingrich, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. “We are choosing the precautionary route in order to be responsible to the students.”
