Kenny: Proposed Budget Would "Cut to the Bone"

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President Kenny called the town hall meeting to get the information out about possible budget cuts and spending caps

By Michael Kelly and Michelle Trauring

Stony Brook University’s academic programs could face an unprecedented $20 million state budget cut, according to university officials at yesterday’s town hall meeting. The cut would come from both taxes and—for the first time—a state spending cap on special university revenues.

“In the time I’ve spent with SUNY, I’ve never seen or heard about anything like this until now,” said John Schmidt, president and delegate of United University Professions (UUP), at the Stony Brook chapter.

This spending cap comes in addition to the previously announced 2.9% tax dollar budget cut for the SUNY system. The state-imposed spending limit would handicap the university’s ability to use money it brings in through special revenue streams. University officials say the spending cap could result in a loss of $15 million to the university’s operating budget.

The meeting, which was held at Staller Center’s main stage, attempted to draw support from the community to fight the proposed budget cut. “We need to rally behind this institution,” Schmidt said.

The cuts could diminish the academic experience, officials said. Not only could classes be lost, but their sizes could increase. President Shirley Strum Kenny said this could delay graduation for some students.

“That’s one very important reason to fight this with everything we have,” she said.

Although a tuition hike is not planned to offset the cut, Kenny said “things change everyday.” Dan Melucci, associate vice president for strategy, planning and analysis, later said it would be a legislative issue, not a university issue. If enacted, it would mean an 18 percent increase in tuition, according to Mark Maciulaitis, university budget director.

The proposal will also affect other crucial university funds. The state plans on limiting the amount of money the university can spend by capping about 400 different special revenue funds, such as income from the hospital or dormitory fees. The money amassed from this cap could potentially be used by the state, taking it completely out of Stony Brook’s hands. This is the most severe cap the university has recently faced.

“We should be allowed to spend the money we raise,” said Kathleen Southerton, a UUP member from the Health Sciences Center.

With the backdrop of a struggling national economy, the cut couldn’t have come at a worse time because the “school is so important to the economy,” Kenny said. Stony Brook University employs 60,000 workers and contributes $4.7 billion to the Long Island economy, according to Schmidt.

At the close of the meeting, a graduate student asked for a show of hands from those who were against the proposed cut.

Kenny’s was the first one up.

George Agathos contributed to this story