Coleman, Skorton respond to newly proposed cuts in public support

Photo by Tom Jorgensen.

The state is facing serious revenue difficulties, and the University needs to be part of the overall solution, the UI President said.

“But we are worried, and we are alerting Iowans about the dangers of privatizing public higher education and bringing about a radical change in our character,” she added.

Coleman said she would attempt to heed the plea of United States President George W. Bush to preserve as many jobs as possible as a means of supporting the nation’s economic base in the wake of terrorist attacks. Given the magnitude of the budget reduction proposal for this fiscal year, all University employees would be asked to make “a personal sacrifice so we can keep as many people in jobs as possible,” she said.

The President said she would protect student financial aid and the four-year graduation contract, but she warned that “some services and programs will surely be eliminated” if the state legislature approves a proposal by Gov. Vilsack to reduce the University’s current fiscal year budget by $21.9 million.

“We are at a crossroads in education in Iowa,” she said. “The recent debates over higher education in Iowa have been reduced to questions of the immediate moment and purely matters of budget. This approach does not adequately address the present and future needs of our students and our state.

“I call upon all of us—political leaders, citizens, members of our Board of Regents, and our own students, faculty, and staff—to articulate a new public philosophy—a philosophy reflective of the essential education functions that contribute to the public good, and then—in turn—a philosophy of long-term public support.”

Coleman pledged to talk widely with deans, faculty, staff, and students. Because of the complexity of the University’s budget, few decisions have been made.

However, David Skorton, vice president for research, has announced the suspension of the calls for proposals that were issued a few weeks ago for any of the following research and scholarship funding programs: CIFRE, Collaborative Interdisciplinary Projects, Iowa Informatics Initiative, Iowa Research Experiences for Undergraduates, Social Sciences Initiative, and Biosciences Initiative Pilot Grants.

A final decision about these programs and the spring Arts and Humanities Initiative competition will be made when more is known about what the state legislature intends to do regarding the governor’s recommended budget cuts for this fiscal year as well as funding for future fiscal years. (Additional information about the suspension of these programs is available on line at www.vpr.uiowa.edu/ifi.)

Researchers and scholars who have prepared proposals that may be competitive with Federal or other agencies, may contact Bill Decker or Brian Harvey in the Office of the VP for Research for help in redirecting their proposal writing to the appropriate agencies.

Article by Steve Parrott