President David Boren talks Budget

April 30th, Norman

University of Oklahoma President David Boren talking about next year's finances.  PHOTO: Michael Runyan

     University of Oklahoma President David Boren talked to students and faculty Monday about the challenges facing the university in the coming fiscal year.  The biggest one, according to Boren, is almost 9 million dollar increase in fixed costs, such as facility maintenance, healthcare, and utilities.

     Boren said that the last time Governor Mary Fallin and he talked, he was told that the state budget for higher education would be a flat one.  "But really," Boren said "A flat budget is a cut, because where am I supposed to get the money?"

According to a graph provided for the lecture, the percentage of the University of Oklahoma's budget paid for by the state has dropped from around 40 percent in 1980 to less than 20 percent in 2012.  Small increases in other funds helped make up some of the gap, but most of it was transferred directly into student fees and tuition, which has grown to around 28 percent of the 2012 budget.

James Yang, a concerned international student.  PHOTO: Michael Runayn

James Yang, a international graduate student, said that he was really concerned that Boren would cut the College of Education's funding.  "Personally I'm suffering financial problems, because in the college of Education, the final problem gets worse and worse now.  You know, lots of doctorate students worry about funding source."  He went on to say that in previous years, many of the doctorate students got GA teaching jobs to help offset the costs, but that was no longer the case really.

Boren said he could not be definite on what the State of Oklahoma's budget would be, as it has not yet been made. Therefore Boren was not certain whether he would have to raise fees or let faculty go. However, he said he will stay in touch with students during the process.  He also urged students to e-mail their representative, and have family and friend do the same to tell them how important education is for the future of the state.