Pitt chief: Budget cuts may force tuition hike and layoffs
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Facing the prospect of more state budget cuts, University of Pittsburgh Chancellor Mark Nordenberg has issued a statement that could foreshadow future tuition increases and staff reductions.
"Levels of state support, which had been eroding for years, now are being more visibly and dramatically slashed," Mr. Nordenberg wrote in a statement posted by the university at www.pitt.edu .
"Put most simply, it is not possible for any university to sustain public university tuition rates if it is not supported like a public university."
He noted that the university has put a "high priority" on preserving jobs rather than providing higher levels of pay to fewer employees.
"Whether we will be able to maintain this position, if economic woes are prolonged and we suffer further reductions from our state support, remains to be seen," he wrote.
The statement was reported by the University Times on Thursday.
The impetus for the statement was an announcement last week by Gov. Tom Corbett saying he has directed his budget office to freeze nearly $160 million in state spending as a precaution to keep the state budget in balance.
At the time, the governor said, "If the revenue picture improves in the months ahead and we determine these funds no longer need to remain frozen, we may be able to free up some or perhaps even all of the funds we are now placing into budgetary reserve."
That budgetary reserve includes a 5 percent reduction -- totaling $25.7 million -- for the four state-related universities: Pitt, $6.8 million; Penn State, $11.4 million; Temple, $7 million; and Lincoln, $558,000.
Mr. Nordenberg said that appropriations for state-related universities account for less than 2 percent of the state budget but 16 percent of the reduction.
Mr. Nordenberg said the frozen amount will be "assigned proportionately" to five offices: chancellor, chief financial officer, executive vice chancellor, provost and senior vice chancellor for health sciences. Each will decide how to handle the reductions.
Pitt began the school year with a 22 percent or $40 million cut in state appropriations, he said. In the fall, Pitt learned the state was decreasing its support for capital projects at Pitt from $40 million to $20 million.
First Published January 13, 2012 12:00 am
