[Editor’s Note: This story is the first in a series of stories that will run about University budget cuts.]
After Gov. Beverly Perdue released restrictions on the state budget, University administrators also implemented restrictions on N.C. State’s budget, including a ban on travel that either did not fall under certain criteria or just was not approved by the vice chancellor.
These criteria include travel directly related to class instruction; travel that the University has already put down a lot of non-refundable money into; in-state travel related to recruitment of students; Board of Governors, Board of Trustees of Legislature travel; and commencement travel.
Some student groups are seeing the drastic impact of these cuts.
“They are cutting travel. Most of the positions that are open are being left vacant, so they won’t pay expenses. People are holding onto their money a bit more wisely for when they want to do these bigger projects,” Student Centers President Peter Barnes said.
But Barnes said administrators may be taking it too far.
“Now they are using budget cuts as their excuse not to fund things, like food for events. They are cutting out as much as they are giving,” he said. “Student fees that we pay are being nitpicked.”
Kelli Rogers, Student Senate Appropriations Committee chair, said the appropriations process has taken one of the biggest hits, but Student Government in general is also dealing with the cuts.
“We have been discouraged away from frivolous spending,” she said. “We have to get special approval to get reimbursed for travel.”
As for appropriations — funding that SG gives to student groups — the amount of money allotted has not decreased, yet. But now Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Tom Stafford has to approve requests.
Rogers said student groups are struggling to get the funding they normally receive.
“Student life and Student Affairs and student organizations are so important to a student’s experience and a lot of them do have academic benefits as well as cultural,” she said.
