Unsure of State Funding Priorities, OU President Boren Plans Budget Cuts

• Joe Wertz
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  Joe Wertz was a reporter and managing editor for StateImpact Oklahoma from 2011-2019. He reported on energy and environment issues for national NPR audiences and other national outlets. He previously worked as a managing editor, assistant editor and staff reporter at several major Oklahoma newspapers and studied journalism at the University of Central Oklahoma.

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Tuition at the University of Oklahoma increased 5 percent this academic year, according to the Oklahoma Daily.

Citing uncertainty in state funding priorities, University of Oklahoma President David Boren has asked campus budget managers to anticipate 2 to 5 percent in potential cuts, The Oklahoma Daily reports:

These cuts would come in the form of reallocations, which is when the university moves money from the central budget to help pay for fixed-cost increases, said Chris Kuwitzky, associate vice president and chief financial officer. The university is facing an estimated $9 million increase of fixed costs.

Among the fixed costs is a 3 percent raise most full-time OU faculty and staff received in FY 2012, Boren said in a Nov. 10 letter sent to faculty and staff. The raises, along with “other limited, prudent and necessary investments” must also be funded in FY 2013, Boren wrote.

In the letter, Boren emphasized the university’s commitment to affordable tuition. OU had a 5 percent tuition increase this academic year and a 4.5 percent increase in 2010-2011, the Daily’s Chase Cook wrote.

The last four years of cuts haven’t been kind to colleges and departments, which have lost about 12 percent of their budgets, according to the letter. These cuts have resulted in increased assignments and responsibilities for existing staff.