by EDWARD SZTUKOWSKI
News Editor
by ROB JENKINS
Sports Editor

The N.C. State House’s current budget proposal for the 2009-10 school year would reduce the University of North Carolina school system’s budget by 11.1 percent and increase tuition by 8 percent.

The $337 million in cuts would have severe and long lasting negative impacts on student access and the quality of education, Chancellor Kenneth E. Peacock said.

“I do not want to see the quality of higher education be diluted,” Peacock said. “People come [to Appalachian State University] for our quality programs, and we want to make sure we provide them.”

The budget cuts would increase class sizes by 10 to 15 percent, due to layoffs and a decreased number of classes, Vice President of Finance for the UNC System Rob Nelson said.

“We know that with the 11 percent cut we’re going to have to reduce about 2700 jobs,” Nelson said. “About 1200 of those are going to be faculty, which means we’ll be reducing class sections.”

In addition to a decreased budget, the House also proposes an 8 percent or $200 maximum tuition increase across the board for state universities. This would amount to roughly a $182 increase in tuition for Appalachian students.

The Appalachian State University Board of Governors had previously proposed a $78 increase in tuition, which would help cover the cost of increased library hours and faculty promotions.

The House rejected the Board of Governors’ budget, and now an 8 percent increase will cover budget shortfalls for the state next year, instead of going directly to the university.

Because a budget won’t likely be in place by the July 1 deadline, the current spending freeze on UNC system schools will continue, Nelson said.

“We do know things aren’t going to get magically better on July 1 than they were June 30,” Nelson said. “So we’re going to have to continue to manage and be very strategic about how we use our resources.”

Lorin A. Baumhover, chief of staff at Appalachian, said while the spending freeze will remain in place, restrictions will likely be slackened.

“Purchase orders and restrictions on hiring will be lightened, but some may remain until the final budget is decided,” Baumhover said. “We’ll probably have a budget in the next 30 days, but so much of it is speculation until then.”

Current projects in planning, such as the Cone Residence Hall renovations and Kidd Brewer Stadium improvements, would be unaffected by the budget because they are funded through student fees and donors, not the state.

Alternative methods of raising money other than tuition increases have been discussed, such as increasing income taxes on individuals making over $200,000 a year, Baumhover said.

While school officials aren’t happy with the current situation, they acknowledge the state must do something to cover budget shortfalls.

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