President Patton discusses budget prospects with council
Communication Committee
Georgia State President Carl Patton visited the University Staff Council on September 17 for some frank talk on the economy and what it might mean for employees at the university.
We won't know before October at the earliest the extent of the budget reduction and how the University System will ask its institutions to respond, he said. That's when the state will see reports on recent tax receipts, and the governor will be better prepared to indicate the amount state agencies will have to cut.
But employees should know that some tough budget decisions are most likely on the way, Dr. Patton said. The Board of Regents has approved a minimum six-percent budget cut and has discussed strategies for dealing with eight- and ten-percent reductions, he added.
Dr. Patton said that he has been encouraging regents and lawmakers to come up with specific measures to increase the flow of money coming in, including allowing the state's four-year universities to raise tuition or fees. "We are the cheapest state in the southern region for tuition," he said. "You can go to Georgia State for four years for what it costs to go to private institutions in the area for one semester."
The president also addressed questions from staff council members. There are no current plans to change retirement benefits or health insurance plans, he told the council. As a cost saving move, it is likely that the regents will limit the state-paid portion of the indemnity health insurance plan to the amount paid for the PPO.
Dr. Patton indicated that there is a possibility that merit raise funds may be included in the state or system budget reduction strategy, but that no decision has been made yet by the University System or the state. When it comes to raises, however, his strong preference is to treat staff and faculty the same, Patton said. "By the way, I'm staff too along with my faculty appointment," he said. "So, I'm in the same boat as you."
He reiterated that staff shouldn't believe any rumors about budget decisions because none have been made yet, other than requiring each unit to hold back one percent as a precautionary measure. "We don't know what the state revenue picture is," he said, "what will be turned over to the regents, or what the regents will do." Dr. Patton promised that when key decisions are made, the university community would be notified directly through a mass e-mail.
"We will get through this," he said.