(no subject)
The FY05 budget planning is complete for Kent State and it looks like this is going to be a rough year. The University as a whole has to cut $5,000,000. In the past, academic affairs was protected from most of the budget cuts, but this year they have to account for $3.5m of the $5m total. I can't imagine what that means for all the already under funded programs. Then there is the other $1.5m that affects the administrative side of the university. Considering most places have a "last in first out" policy, I'm a little nervous. I'm not going to stress over it, considering that wouldn't accomplish anything, but it's the $3.5m from academic affairs that has been getting to me. It is somewhat refreshing that Taft only has one year to go, but the prospective replacements don't seem to be offering much of a solution either. I closed my eyes during the budget meeting and saw the overgrowth around abandoned buildings, my office windows boarded up. A crow atop a broken down Kent State sign reciting, "Imagine the Possibilities." Though it won't come to that, it's hard not to wonder what Ohio's narrow view on higher eduction will mean in for the future.