College budget reductions scaled back as
Clare Lynch
Issue date: 11/5/09 Section: News
On Monday, Oct. 26, President Carol Christ sent an e-mail to Smith students, faculty and staff outlining the most recent developments in the planned budget reductions. Due to some tentative indicators of economic growth, the college has decided to implement a smaller fraction of the budget reductions proposed last year.
After consultation with the Board of Trustees and major planning committees, the administration will implement $21 million of the $30 million identified budget cuts from last year, Christ wrote. Of the reduced amount, $16 million of these cuts have already been made.
Although the majority of cuts are already in effect, most students report that the reduced budget has not substantially affected their experience at Smith.
"To be honest, other than Public Safety, I don't notice a really big difference in education or quality of life," Minna Park '10 said. Christina Chung '10 agreed, saying she thought the brunt of cuts fell on faculty and administration.
"They seem to be keeping student life the same," Chung said.
The college has invested one-time funds to pay the balance on the co-generation facility and other sustainability projects to recoup their financial savings. In addition, faculty and staff salary increases may be restored next year after a temporary freeze, and a reduction in academic and faculty support positions may be scaled back and spread over a longer time span.
With much of the budget cuts taking place through restructuring and layoffs, it is not surprising that students saw relatively minor changes last year. Students surveyed mostly identified minor inconveniences from budget cuts, such as changes to dining, decreases in tutor hours, decreased hours for services like gyms and even the absence of water bottles that were handed out at student check-in last year.
Stacy Diaz '10 said she misses "little things" that used to be accessible to Smith students. Still, "I think they're doing well for recovering through a recession," she said.
After consultation with the Board of Trustees and major planning committees, the administration will implement $21 million of the $30 million identified budget cuts from last year, Christ wrote. Of the reduced amount, $16 million of these cuts have already been made.
Although the majority of cuts are already in effect, most students report that the reduced budget has not substantially affected their experience at Smith.
"To be honest, other than Public Safety, I don't notice a really big difference in education or quality of life," Minna Park '10 said. Christina Chung '10 agreed, saying she thought the brunt of cuts fell on faculty and administration.
"They seem to be keeping student life the same," Chung said.
The college has invested one-time funds to pay the balance on the co-generation facility and other sustainability projects to recoup their financial savings. In addition, faculty and staff salary increases may be restored next year after a temporary freeze, and a reduction in academic and faculty support positions may be scaled back and spread over a longer time span.
With much of the budget cuts taking place through restructuring and layoffs, it is not surprising that students saw relatively minor changes last year. Students surveyed mostly identified minor inconveniences from budget cuts, such as changes to dining, decreases in tutor hours, decreased hours for services like gyms and even the absence of water bottles that were handed out at student check-in last year.
Stacy Diaz '10 said she misses "little things" that used to be accessible to Smith students. Still, "I think they're doing well for recovering through a recession," she said.
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