GSAS Attendance
GSAS Attendance:
Feb. 8, 2011
Name/Dept.
Vicky Lewis, HPC
Kyle Nelson, Bio
Aaron Lancanster App studies
Joe Otto, History
Kacie Putnum, HPC
Audrey Dunham, Comm and sci
Chip Hayne, Geo and pLnnaing (Matt Hepler)
Marcus Lawrence, Ex sci
Jake Lindheimer, psyh
Heather Davis, Nutrition
Jackie Linville,
Paul Lowe,
Jack Jorden, CS
Miriam Makhyoun
Holly Hirst (from Grad School)
Susan McCracken (guest)
Dr. Susan McCracken, Dir. Of External Affairs: gave an update on state budget
3.7 billion gap/difference between this year and nextFiscal Research
Division released a Fiscal Brief to update about budget
Gave overview of how this budget crisis affects the UNC-System
Budget spiral is getting exponentially worse
Two big gaps are tax dollars and stimulus dollars
Explained the 3.7 billion gap based on estimated revenue versus spending (18.2 revenue versus 21.9 spending)
Education is 57% of budget; UNC system is 20%
November 2010 election changed the legislation completely
19.75% decrease for state agencies: a 20% cut on ASU campus would be
devastating; more likely with a 5-10% cut
Miriam asked about $400 million reversion; yes, the Governor can ask for savings
and trust funds (Golden Leaf) for approx. 800 million—so 3 billion rather
than 3.7 billion deficit.
Universities versus Community Colleges
Spending pressures: How can the reduce budget on universities?
Increase Tuition (it will happen)
Many states have higher tuition (in-state in other states is comparable to out of state in NC)
On one end is the tuition discussion and on the other end is to minimize the cuts so there are students who can actually afford to go to school.
Reduce per student funding (refer to chart in folder hand outs)
ASU is well below the average of $12,000 per student; ASU is $9,330
This would NOT be a viable option for ASU due to the fact we are already the lowest ranked NC school in amt given per student
Funds taken back from this year…
3 Priorities:
Minimize cuts, maximize flexibility (don’t cut programs…)*money for faculty includes GAs, part-time faculty, new faculty, etc…and ASU only has 2.2% salary dollars spent on administrators. Concern for new hires/jobs and faculty when there is significant cuts. 82% of funds go to academic affairs
Enrollment funding: based on enrollment numbers, all students share funding
Need-based Financial Aid: find a way to raise the floor for the students in the most needed category
Governor will release budget on Wednesday…”not going to be pretty” because no one wants to make the cuts. Gov. will most likely try to keep 1cent sales tax; approve video gambling
Find out who your legislative member, Board of Governors and General Assembly (Miriam says it is in the newsletter, we looked on the big screen) Looked at
Encouraged to make phone calls, write a letter, share concerns about being a graduate student and budget cuts.
Miriam shared some information about public education/higher education…return in educated people is more in the long run…cuts are short sided move. Isn’t about tax rates and spending but it’s about WHAT we are spending it on. Also, showed newsletter link to send “What is your personal story of sacrifice for higher education?” (can submit online)
Kyle Nelson: What would it look like if we DO get enrollment funding? Bio dept has increased enrollment since graduate studies began. Approximately 2/3 of bio students are non-bio majors and have to take two bio courses, which are typically taught by GA/TA; there aren’t enough teachers to teach those students…Is increasing the population beneficial for the education as a whole?
“Aspirations, dreams, and hopes are universal; opportunity and justice are not.”—Dr. Sanjay Gupta (CNN)
Every year we have to give money back in the spring. Hard and unpredictable…keep hearing next year is going to be the worse. How do we plan for that? On our campus we can’t increase class size because facilities are not that large to support the larger class size.
Holly Hirst: Be aware of: what else gets cut if not us? Not really a good solution. There is not anything else that can be cut (need healthcare, K-12 education)no silver bullet.
Susan McCracken talked more about Golden Leaf.
Federal issues: cap on discretionary spending, Pell grant “on life support”
Miriam: Senator Heist last year talked about protecting education dollars, encouraged GSAS members to share this information with other graduate students to make more people aware of what is going on and how it will impact us.
*If you have ideas about how to be more efficient etc…please send to Susan McCracken.
Board of Governors is meeting Thursday
Open for comments? Discussion?
Kyle Nelson: we have an opportunity to do something, the state of education is people who are fresh out of college are not employable because they can’t learn anything(?) flaw there, where what is being taught isn’t actually applicable to the work environment. With major budget cut issues, it could get us out of spend spend spend throw money at prob. But not fix it. We could step back look at things and save money in the process.
Reason why now you have to have a masters or Ph.D. for entry level positions and some jobs that you used to not have to have a college degree to do that now you do.
Miriam: rising cost of higher education link in newsletter…what value are we getting anymore? Is the return on investment that is justifiable?
College tuition rose rather than decreased in the rougher economic conditions.
Jackie: How much is predicted increase?
Kyle: somewhere in the neighborhood of 170 dollars; state law limits increase in tuition by 6.5%
COMMITTEE REPORTS:
Finance:
Kyle: Deadline was 4th, as of now no changes on GSAS grants. Kyle and committee will email out to solicit letters now required for the grants.
Holly: I have asked the office to delay sending out award emails until we check one more time. Last I checked they were not freezing state funding. Before we send out award letters, we will check on more time and then we’ll have the award email sent out.
Miriam: Remember to have colleagues apply for graduation by February 11.
Chip: Remember it is $20
Legislative update (Miriam for Matt): Bobby Lee, Senator in the SGA, is assisting with the ASG SGA legislation. We may be asking you to collect signatures. The entire student body can vote in referendums.
Jackie: asked about contact info if someone wanted to bake a pie
Carole: add contact info to the flyers: Matt Hepler
Miriam: Holly, do we know about sending this out on ASU Info?
Holly: It set-up a list serve but it does not have those emails so I have to run the data report to populate the list serve. Terms of use: I would be responsible for sending emails, (no more than 2-3 times a term), use only currently enrolled students, and repopulate that list each term. I have control over the list so we can do to all students at beginning of semester and then more day to day can go to just on-campus students.
M: asked about newsletter and flyer
H: I will forward that to ASU Info and see if they approve
Send out flyer via ASU Info after Spring Break.
M: Any other ways to encourage enthusiasm for this?
Kyle; motion to close
Vicki: second;
MEETING ADJOURNED at 7 PM.