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Volume 28, Issue 03, September 15, 2005

News

C&D key to Metro funding

Millions could be cut if ballot measures fail

By Brad Riggin
rigginb@mscd.edu

Metro’s board of trustees discussed the possible ramifications of the failure of Referendums C and D passing in November and gave adjunct faculty a 21 percent pay raise Wednesday at the Tivoli.

Possible scenarios
$18M
The amount Metro could face in cuts if Referendums C and D do not pass this November.
51
The maximum percent that tuition that could be raised if the referendums fail.
227
Metro faculty could be cut by up to 22 percent, most of which would be parttime teachers.
$3.5
The minimum cuts in state funding that Metro could face if the November ballot measures fail.

Natalie Lutes, Metro interim vice president for administration and finance, presented the board with scenarios of 10 percent, 25 percent and 50 percent reductions in funding resulting from the failure of the referendums passing.

In the worst-case scenario, Metro would lose just over $18 million in funding, which would force the board to either make drastic cuts to programs and personnel or raise tuition dramatically.

If a tuition increase were used to make up for the shortfall, students would pay around 51 percent more for tuition in 2007, Lutes said.

Metro President Stephen Jordan said he wanted to make it clear that the numbers being discussed were estimates and were for discussion purposes only.

“ I want to let everyone here know that this board and myself are not suggesting a 50 percent increase in tuition; we are just going through scenarios,” Jordan said.

Another scenario would cut over $12.5 million in programs and the equivalent of 227 nine-month faculty appointments.

This, combined with a 15 percent tuition increase, would cover the $18 million in lost funding, Lutes said.

Trustees increase pay for adjuncts $1.7M

Metro's Board of Trustees approved a $1.7 million increase in pay for adjunct instructors.

The increase will take effect at the beginning of the Spring semester and will boost adjunct pay from $788 per credit hour to $960 per credit hour, said Natalie Lutes, Metro interim vice president for administration and finance.

Metro adjuncts currently make 32 percent-or $253 per credit hour-less than UCD adjuncts who teach lower- level classes, according to statistics from Metro's administration.

After the raise, Metro adjuncts will make only 8 percent-or $81 per credit hour-less than UCD adjuncts.

The pay raise is part of Jordan's broad improvement plan for Metro, which he announced during his first public speech to the Metro community since starting the job in July.

Jordan also said he is appointing a task force of adjunct faculty to look into the working conditions of adjuncts at Metro.

In addition to lost state funding, Metro would also realize a decrease in tuition revenue.

Metro would lose around $270,000 in tuition for every 1 percent reduction in state funding, Lutes said.

The board would need to make additional cuts to cover the lost tuition revenue.

If passed, Referendum C would eliminate the spending limits on state government for five years. This would allow the legislature to spend $3.7 billion that would normally be refunded to taxpayers.

Referendum D would earmark money for urgent road and school construction by borrowing against the $2.1 billion provided through Referendum C.

If the referendums fail to pass, the legislature will be forced to cut an estimated $400 million from the budget.