Now that the state has a budget, Clarion University leaders can breathe a little.
Clarion University President Karen Whitney addressed the approval of the budget in an email addressed to students and faculty, stating how the $1 million in supplemental funds Clarion will receive will help close the gap between spending and revenues.
“Our projected budget gap is $5.5 million,” Whitney said, and that “contributes to everything we do in terms of forcing us to prioritize the things that we do and too often only fund the highest priorities. We are not able to fund as much as we want to do on behalf of the students and employees to advance the university.”
The increase is the first the state university system has had since 2008-2009. The state’s total funding will be $433.3 million.
Clarion University is currently undergoing a three-year plan (2015-2018) to completely balance the budget gap. Clarion receives around $100 million through its annual operating budget, but still is unable to provide certain amenities and opportunities Whitney would like to offer students.
Whitney, the university deans and department directors have worked together to combat the budget deficit and make decisions to help reduce spending.
“It is always our first approach,” Whitney said, “to make sure changes have the least effect on students and that, as students, you wouldn’t know it immediately. Even if it’s down to how often the grass is being cut, how often the trash gets picked up or how often the restrooms in the library get cleaned.”
“It is not desirable, and the budget became extremely distressed in 2011 when the previous governor reduced state funding by 22 percent,” Whitney said.
Budget issues have predated current students at Clarion, yet they continue to have an effect.
“We have not recovered from the state’s defunding in 2011,” she said. “We have struggled.”
Gov. Tom Wolf’s 2015-2016 state budget will increase higher education funding by 5 percent, and suggested another 5 percent increase for the 2016-2017 fiscal year.
The belated budget hurt students as well as the school.
“The question is to what extent does the state budget affect college students,” Whitney said. “And my biggest concern for college students is that the state didn’t fund fall grants until late February.”
“We don’t deserve just a 5 percent increase, we deserve a 35 percent increase,” Whitney said.
“As of right now, our students pay 76 percent of the university’s operating cost while the state pays 24 percent. In my opinion, the state should be paying 66 percent while the students pay 33 percent. Over time, it’s clear that people with college degrees will earn more money over a lifetime and become better citizens, which makes for a better state. I applaud what the state has done, but I feel this relationship, with the students paying 33 percent and state paying 66 percent, should be the end goal.”
“As a university, we are doing our job,” said Whitney, “I just ask that the state continues to do theirs.”