Proposed Budget Cuts

TBR Chancellor Charles Manning was kind enough to send me a copy of a memo he released to the presidents and directors on Monday. In it, he addresses the budget issues, stating that the budgets created at the institutions need to prepare for possible future budget cuts as well. He also states that higher education is not expected to be a financial priority anytime soon.

Now, I could harp all day and well into tomorrow about what I consider to be flawed logic, but I’d be remiss if I didn’t admit that my Tennessee public school education more than prepared me for college. Instead, I’m going to address some possible budgeting solutions. I preface that I am no economist, nor do I intend to be, but I am quite good with numbers, and I’m also pretty creative.

1. Cut non-educational programs first. This is a university, not a springboard to the NFL. People come here for an education, and that is exactly what they should get. How much money have we spent in the past on trying to involve our students in non-educational activities (i.e. Outkast’s Big Boi at a football game)? Athletics are a part of campus life, much like theatre and music, but because their primary purpose is not education, they should be somewhat self-reliant.

How many majors could we save if we cut one or two athletic scholarships per sport, or if we offered only 50%-75% of the dollars we offer now? A partial scholarship is better than none. Each non-educational program should get a set dollar amount, and that is it. If they want more money for football scholarships, raise it. Have a raffle, contact football alumni, talk to the Titans, have several football camps for a small fee throughout the year. Sponsor a community football jamboree: bankers vs. homeowners, state senators vs. state representatives – get creative. Teams would gladly pay an entry fee to participate, and the community would pay $5 to get in and watch.

Get people in the stands, and stop pumping money into efforts that consistently fail. Get football players to go to local elementary and middle schools and participate in a P.E. class or take on a team of teachers. The key here is to target the kids who cannot drive – that way, the parents have to take the whole family, and the admission will increase with no extra money spent. Have elementary kids do an essay or picture every week, and the winner gets to be an honorary team manager for the next game, standing by the coach during plays and giving out water to players. Parents, siblings, grandparents, aunts and uncles are going to want to see this. Again, it’s just having the right focus with the right result.

These suggestions aren’t just limited to football, but it is the easiest example. The soccer team could sponsor some kind of relay or shootout. $2 per kick, and if you get it past the goalkeeper, you get a prize or your money back. Heck, hire me to do the brainstorming and planning of all this and just pay me in free classes. Offer internship credit to advertising and PR majors to work toward promotion of these programs for a semester.

2. Let the departments have a say. Instead of just cutting departments, propose to each department chair the dollar figure that he or she will need to cut for the coming year. Perhaps these individuals can come up with some alternative solutions on their own. Maybe each faculty member in one department would rather take a 5% pay cut than see their programs disappear. I know I would rather take a pay cut than see some of my colleagues lose their jobs. Other departments may simply opt to eliminate some of their minors or reduce the number of times classes are offered, especially classes that are more expensive to have due to supplies. Others may contact their alumni to try to raise additional funding, and some may raise requirements for such things as tenure.

During these times of hardship, the worst thing to do is demoralize and alienate your people. These are the men and women responsible for educating the leaders of tomorrow. We cannot let them forget how valuable they are and how valuable their opinions are. Even if the departments cannot find a way to cut all of the money themselves, perhaps they can at least lessen the burden.

3. Pay Cuts. I know this is an unpopular topic, but students are essentially taking pay cuts every time tuition goes up because it negative affects their already fragile budgets. Even limiting the raise percentages for the next 4-5 years would have an effect in long-term planning.

I’ve been reading up on some of this, and a good point was made. I wish I could remember where I read it, because I would like to give due credit. Barack Obama’s salary is $400,000. Sidney McPhee’s salary is more than half of that. Upon reading that, I decided to do some research into what faculty members are paid for their work. Executive VP & Provost Kaylene Gebert makes around $170,000. I do not mean to diminish anyone’s job or worth, as I am sure these positions require a lot of work and deserve above-average salaries. I’m not suggesting huge cuts, mind you, but even a raise freeze for the next few years or a temporary cut (to be reinstated when the budget allows) would be beneficial.

First off, no assistant professor of accounting needs $99,910 a year. Accounting salaries alone cost nearly $2.4 million. Cutting salaries in this department by 1% would save $23,794. That may not seem like a lot, but imagine other departments with similar cuts. This could easily save jobs. And while I’m a big fan of Athletic Director Chris Massaro, $153,889 is a bit hefty for the Sun Belt Conference.

The Director of the Budget and Financial Planning office makes nearly $85,000, and clearly, there is room for improvement. The Business Office actually has a “lead cashier” who makes about $6,000 more than another cashier. Nickel-and-diming across the board could make a huge impact on the budget.

Computer Information Systems and Computer Science are loaded with six-figure paydays. Having said that, I have taken Dr. Untch’s class, and I assure you, he is worth every penny. Distance Learning has quite a few faculty members. Are all of these positions necessary? Could some be part-time, hourly, or paid per class? Economics and Finance seems to be teeming with money. I’m sure some of those alumni have deep pockets and would help out.

Energy services is a full department. Having been a student, I am well aware that building temperatures are far more extreme than need be. This is especially true in the summer. Are these buildings being lit, heated, and cooled when unoccupied? There are plenty of ways to save money on energy costs.

Health Services sure has a lot of secretaries. The PAs make upward of $60,000. Having frequented Health Services, I can tell you that while they are helpful, they are not $60,000 worth of helpful. It would be beneficial to require incoming freshmen to take a health and wellness class related to college life in their first semester. This could prevent frequent visits in the future by alerting students to the consequences of sleep deprivation and STDs, for example.

Management and Marketing and Journalism are high-dollar programs, and as much as I support the latter, we cannot ignore the potential effect of the current state of newspapers. This program will probably have some dramatic changes over the coming years as people get their news from other sources.

In comparison, the Philosophy Department is a relatively inexpensive one, which is almost a shame considering the high regard I have for these individuals. If any instructor at this university deserves six figures, they do.

My point in this area is that dollars can be cut without necessarily cutting jobs or programs. Cutting instructors is certainly not in the best interest of the students.

4. Parking. MTSU Parking has caused students so much grief that there is actually a Web site devoted to it, http://www.mtsuparkingsucks.com. Why not capitalize on the parking situation? Parking passes are an easy way to make money, especially with upward of 23,000 undergraduates. Charging $100 per semester would bring in more than $2.3 million each semester, about $4.6 million yearly, costing students only about $30 more per month. Having “preferred parking” spaces would be an even easier way. If spots closest to buildings required a different pass, students would jump at the chance to purchase one of these passes, even if it were $500 or $1000 per semester. If that is not enough, simply auction them off.

5. Alumni. Alumni are essential to the university’s future. Closing departments and cancelling majors will definitely alienate some alumni. Personally, I would never give a cent to my alma mater if my major were eliminated or department closed. Other alumni are sure to react in a similar manner. Likewise, current students with majors in jeopardy are likely to transfer if their majors do not make it through the budget cuts. The university should expect a revenue loss for this reason.

6. Invest in the future. I assume the argument in favor of cancelling these programs is related at least in part to the number of students majoring in those subjects. The root cause of this issue is not the department but the students. Are we recruiting the right students? A great idea would be to offer a glimpse of classes to rising juniors and seniors. For instance, had I been able to sit in on one of Dr. Bombardi’s classes before choosing a college, I would have most assuredly decided to study philosophy from day one. One or two professors in each department could do a seminar at local high schools for interested students, or there could be a “try it out” week during one of the summer sessions inviting high school students to sit in on classes of their interest during that week. Those considering several universities may decide on MTSU once they get a real classroom experience. Rhodes College allows visiting students to sit in on classes, and I thoroughly enjoyed my day in German.

I hope that you consider my suggestions and that you challenge those making the decisions to explore all possible options before sacrificing the integrity of the university. Please feel free to contact me. In fact, I encourage it. I believe through intelligent dialogue and informed decision-making, we can ensure both the academic and financial successes of MTSU.