Six Mile Post

Issue date: 3/9/10 Section: News

LAST UPDATED: MARCH 8

Georgia Highlands College could be facing decimating changes that would critically affect students, faculty and the college as absolutely nothing seems to be off the table for Georgia Legislators while they deal with an additional $300 million in higher education budget cuts for the fiscal year 2011.

As part of the additional $300 million proposed budget cuts for all University System of Georgia (USG) universities and institutions state-wide, Georgia Highlands College was asked to present a plan to cut $2,427,128 from its budget.

GHC President Randy Pierce was notified on Feb. 25 that the college would have to cut its 2011 fiscal year budget by about one-fourth.

Pierce met with students the same afternoon and faculty and staff on the following day to compile a list of 12 cutbacks to the college that would total the $2.4 million.

Pierce said that the question has become: How do you cut $2.4 million and impact the least number of students?

"This is an assault on your education. Education is at the core of the quality of life, the core of competitions with our economic development," Pierce stressed.

Willis Potts, the 11th District Board of Regents representative, stated that on Feb. 24 when the University System Chancellor Erroll Davis met with the members of both the House and Senate Appropriations Subcommittees on Higher Education, a senator demanded that Davis come up with a proposed $300 million cut for the USG. Davis then asked each of the USG colleges and institutions to submit a proposed 25 percent cut for its budget.

According to ajc.com, Sen. Seth Harp (R-Midland) was the senator who interrupted Davis as the chancellor was explaining how dire the university system's financial situation is by saying, "We are in a budget crisis. We have got to cut another $200 to $300 million out of your budget. Please, prioritize where those cuts will come or we will do it blindly."

Saturday morning, Feb. 27, GHC sent its proposed plan for the cuts to the Board of Regents for review, and the chancellor presented the proposals from all the USG institutions to legislators on March 1. On March 3, the chancellor appeared again before the members of the House and Senate Appropriations Subcommittees on Higher Education and presented the pros and cons of the Legislature's seven suggestions for how the USG could deal with the state budget shortfall.

The seven suggestions were to increase tuition by 35 percent; discontinue fixed-for-four tuition for those currently on guarantee; implement annual student fee of $1,000; increase efficiencies; consolidate institutions; cut salaries for employees; and shorten the semester schedule.

Continued...

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