Editor's Note: This is the third in a five-part series on Ohio University's regional campuses.
As Ohio University prepares to carve $15.7 million out of its budget, the university's regional campuses aren't sweating over cuts.
Instead, an influx of students at the university's five regional campuses could lead to budget increases. Enrollment climbed to 9,700 students this fall, up from nearly 8,300 in fall 2003.
Each regional campus funds its operations with student tuition and state money. Unlike Athens, the regional campuses aren't allowed to overspend their budgets; still, regional deans sent proposals for 5 and 10 percent budget cuts to the provost and president last week - proposals more likely to be used for internal planning than actual cuts.
Hiring more faculty and expanding programs at regional campuses - which will require larger budgets - will be a key part of the university's plan to enroll more students.
About a third of the university's students attend regional campuses, where students pay up to $151 per credit hour. The majority attends class in Athens and pays $243 for the same credit. The difference shows in the university's budget: just $54.3 million of its roughly $684 million budget goes to the regional campuses.
Several regional deans said they have received permission to hire more faculty members to teach the influx of students. Others said they plan to ask for permission soon.
There is a need for more faculty
said Richard Bebee, dean of OU-Chillicothe, which has the biggest regional budget at about $12.4 million for this year. They've been very favorable to us because they've seen those (enrollment numbers).
But with their budgets tied to enrollment, deans are paying close attention to spending.
A steep decline in enrollment at the Eastern Campus, which had 28 percent fewer students in 2007 than it did in 2001, led to trouble several years ago when the school overspent its budget. In response, the campus stopped filling vacancies and laid off employees. Dean Richard Greenlee said the process has been painful.
We've reduced our expenses by over $1 million he said. People have really pulled together as a team through a very difficult time. We lost valued employees ... and they are greatly missed but people knew that our expenses were more than our income.
Greenlee and others emphasized how flexible regional campus employees have been in assuming extra responsibilities.
I am very thankful for that kind of sacrifice because that just doesn't happen everywhere and I've had nothing but people volunteering
saying
'I know this needs to be covered and I can do that
' Greenlee said.
Kim Addis, business manager at OU-Southern, said it helps that many regional employees are cross-trained
and can fill in during a hiring freeze.
In addition to tuition, the regional campuses make money by working with local businesses to train workers.
But as Eastern's balance sheet improved, university leaders struggled to balance the Athens campus budget.
Administrators expect to cut the Athens budget 7 percent next year, with a double-digit cut in the following fiscal year. Amid a week state economy, higher education funding has been dependent on federal stimulus dollars. It's not clear yet whether that money will be available after next year.
In response, administrators froze hiring and cut staff last year, including 15 percent of the unionized workforce. The president and provost will make recommendations next week about further cuts.
1
News
Emily Grannis
