President Coleman to address lawmakers on proposed cuts; Budget Web page to debut

President Mary Sue Coleman and the leaders of four other state universities will meet with members of the House Subcommittee on Higher Education Appropriations Wednesday (March 19) to address Gov. Jennifer Granholm's proposed 10 percent cut to higher education for fiscal year 2004.

Coleman will have 10 minutes during a budget hearing to outline the University's reaction to the governor's recommendation. The presidents then will respond to questions from the nine-member panel. Coleman's remarks to the subcommittee will be available on a new Budget Web site to be posted to the University Gateway later this week.

"Essentially her message will be that the University is willing to bear a share of the burden of a strapped state budget," says Vice President for Government Relations Cynthia Wilbanks. "The president will make it clear, however, that the proposed reduction, if approved, would not only impact University operations and academic programs, but has implications for the entire state in terms of economic development, and the ability to retain our educated students in the state's workforce."

The proposed reduction would affect “the ability to retain our educated students in the state’s workforce.” —Cynthia Wilbanks

Wilbanks says Coleman also will share some ways the University already has achieved economies in areas such as utilities, pharmaceuticals and purchasing.

The state is facing a $1.7 billion shortfall. The governor is calling for a 6.5 percent cut to higher education in the 2004 budget, on top of a 3.5 percent midyear reduction in fiscal 2003. The 10 percent cut would cost U-M more than $36 million.

The appropriations committee hearings are the start of a budget process that lasts for several months. At the conclusion of hearings, the House Appropriations Committee will put together a plan for the budget, which then goes to the full House for a vote sometime in late April or early May, Wilbanks says. The Senate Subcommittee on Higher Education Appropriations and the full Senate also must act on the budget. "At this point, we expect that the bill will be finished in early summer in time for our Board of Regents to act on the University budget in July," Wilbanks says.

To find the new Budget Web site later this week, go to the U-M Gateway (http://www.umich.edu) and look for the Budget link in the box labeled "Michigan Focus." Regular messages from the president and other relevant information will be updated regularly. Budget stories that occur between print versions of The University Record also will be found on the site.

More stories

• Matthews shares 25-year pursuit of a biochemical mystery in Russel Lecture
• Rushdie discusses inspiration for 'Midnight's Children,' writing in general
• President Coleman to address lawmakers on proposed cuts; Budget Web page to debut
• 20 years after 'A Nation at Risk': Why national education reform failed
• Analysis of Middle East public opinion shows attitudes toward Israel, U.S.
• Staff Spotlight: " Team spells its way to V-I-C-T-O-R-Y
• Tunnel vision: Media Union 3-D Lab open house
• University to host diabetes symposium
• Speaker to address impact of technological transformations
• Most older women don't get regular mammograms; mailed reminder can help
• Suicide terrorism: Author explains what defenses will and won't work
• Inauguration ceremony builds on University's history
• U-M keeps the arts alive despite threat of state budget cuts
• Public health grad students collaborate in infectious disease program
• Blanchard All Big-Ten