Spring Break
R.I. House Finance Committee approves bill that will leave URI budget lacking almost $3 million
Christopher Barrett
Issue date: 4/23/08 Section: Campus
04/23/08 - The powerful Rhode Island House Finance Committee approved a spending bill yesterday that would slash nearly $3 million from the university's current budget.
Accepting most of the governor's proposals, the committee passed the revised budget for fiscal year 2008 that aims to close a projected $151 million budget deficit.
If accepted by the full House and Senate, the bill would take $2.1 million from the university's general operating budget, pushing the state's share of the school's budget to a record low of 12 percent. In addition, the Legislature would take away $765,000 from the university's debt service, which is used to pay off bonds floated to pay primarily for construction projects.
The Democratically-controlled committee approved the cuts 12-0, with the committee's three Republicans abstaining.
The cuts come as Republican Gov. Donald Carcieri is proposing cutting $10 million from next year's budget to close another projected deficit. The anticipated cuts have sent the university administration scrambling to find ways to reduce expenses.
Athletics announced last week that it would cut men's swimming, men's tennis and field hockey. Plans to replace the women's gymnastics team with lacrosse were also scrapped.
The university stopped a search for a new dean of the College of Engineering, citing a "funding gap," and the Rhode Island Board of Governors for Higher Education approved a retirement incentive plan to encourage long-time professors to retire in an effort to "redistribute" the university's limited resources.
The bill approved by the House Finance Committee yesterday is scheduled to go before the entire House on Friday during a special session. From there, it will go to the Democratically-controlled Senate and eventually the governor's desk.
News Staff Reporter Tyler Will contributed to this report.
Accepting most of the governor's proposals, the committee passed the revised budget for fiscal year 2008 that aims to close a projected $151 million budget deficit.
If accepted by the full House and Senate, the bill would take $2.1 million from the university's general operating budget, pushing the state's share of the school's budget to a record low of 12 percent. In addition, the Legislature would take away $765,000 from the university's debt service, which is used to pay off bonds floated to pay primarily for construction projects.
The Democratically-controlled committee approved the cuts 12-0, with the committee's three Republicans abstaining.
The cuts come as Republican Gov. Donald Carcieri is proposing cutting $10 million from next year's budget to close another projected deficit. The anticipated cuts have sent the university administration scrambling to find ways to reduce expenses.
Athletics announced last week that it would cut men's swimming, men's tennis and field hockey. Plans to replace the women's gymnastics team with lacrosse were also scrapped.
The university stopped a search for a new dean of the College of Engineering, citing a "funding gap," and the Rhode Island Board of Governors for Higher Education approved a retirement incentive plan to encourage long-time professors to retire in an effort to "redistribute" the university's limited resources.
The bill approved by the House Finance Committee yesterday is scheduled to go before the entire House on Friday during a special session. From there, it will go to the Democratically-controlled Senate and eventually the governor's desk.
News Staff Reporter Tyler Will contributed to this report.
