Department Finances
Remaining Optimistic Despite Budget Dilemma
Through the economic turmoil our country faces, the Cal Poly Journalism Department is making fiscal and behavioral changes to avoid ghastly consequences. Despite the decrease in donations throughout the university, the 2008 department budget is “not in bad shape” according to Department Chair Bill Loving. Being as frugal as possible with operating expenses has helped with the budget cuts.
The department has issued copy machine codes and requires all printers to be turned off during the evening and weekends. These newer standards have significantly cut printing costs and reduced paper waste. Faculty members are also encouraged to use paperless Blackboard, a Web site where professors can post class information, for communication with students. All of these efforts, in addition to friendly conservation reminder signs posted near department printers, have reduced operating expenses.
The university is not being funded to the degree that it was in the past, and as a result, the College of Liberal Arts (CLA) could potentially be forced to remove 25 full-time faculty members. To counteract this, the CLA is looking to the students. A survey was sent out in early March to students regarding an increase in student fees. The CLA proposed an increase in students’ College Based Fees from $150 to $362 per quarter. Loving explains the direct impact the proposal will have on the department should it fail.
“We will be looking at 10 percent cut in our total budget. If I have 10 percent less to spend on people, we could be looking at some pretty dire consequences.”
Luckily, students voted to pass the CBF increase on March 11 and 12. Of the 47 percent of students who voted, 78 percent voted yes.
The CBF funds will be distributed to each of the 16 departments within the CLA, and will be used primarily for faculty salaries.
"Now that the increase has passed, we are looking at maintaining the department's budget at the same level it has been," Loving commented. "The difference is that CBF funds will all go to instruction and paying for classes; that means no money for equipment, student travel, faculty and staff development or any other things CBF has paid for in the past, which equates to a reduction in total money that the department will have to pay for the things that it needs."
Despite the lack of state funds and donations, the department is optimistic about its future. With conservation in mind and the CBF increase, the department will continue to sustain itself while the economy gets back in shape.
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