University Star

University President Denise Trauth said new faculty and staff hiring and utility infrastructure repairs will be defered to save money in response to a request by state officials.

Gov. Rick Perry, Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst and House Speaker Joe Straus wrote to state agencies in mid-January asking for a proposal that would save 5 percent of general revenue appropriations for the remaining of this year and for fiscal 2011. The negative economic impact for the university is approximately $3.8 million the remainder of this fiscal year and $4 million in fiscal 2011, according to an e-mail Trauth sent to faculty and staff Monday afternoon.

The university will save $2.5 million and $1 million by deferring hiring and infrastructure repairs, respectively. A modest decrease in the summer session supplemental budget will account for the remaining deficit.

Robert Gratz, special assistant to the president, said some staff position hirings will occur despite the fiscal reduction. 

Trauth's e-mail revealed a priority has been placed on faculty hirings during the past several years. Funding for staff positions, meanwhile, has not been allocated during that time period.  

Gratz said university officials have been proactive in preparing for a 10-percent budget shortfall once the federal stimulus money was exhausted. 

However, the cut in this year's appropriation was not something administrators had expected.

“What’s happened now is they’ve said, ‘No, we are not going to wait until fall of 2011 when the next biennium begins. We need to cut this year and next year, ’” Gratz said.

Faced with uncertainty, Trauth put the 3 percent merit raises for faculty and staff on hold for the time being.

Debra Feakes, Faculty Senate chair, said she believes the president is doing “the best she can.”

“We should be happy that we have jobs, ” Feakes said. “We are not having to go through furloughs and other things that other universities are having to go through across the United States.”

Feakes said the colleagues she knows share a similar sentiment.

“We are sympathetic to Dr. Trauth during this economic time, and we certainly understand her position,” said Angelika Wahl, chair of Staff Council.

Wahl said the president has given a merit increase every year since she came on board in 2002.

“I’m sure that she sent the message out with a heavy heart,” Wahl said.

Trauth said in the e-mail that university staff will consider the pay raise again if state appropriations are restored to the current level.

She said the university’s highest priority is to meet the demands of growing student enrollment followed by protecting existing jobs.

The student-faculty ratio at Texas State in fall 2009 was 28:1, the worst among Texas public universities, according to Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. The ratio has been improving since fall 2007, when it was 30:1.

The cut in general revenue fund appropriation excludes tuition and fee revenue and appropriations for employee benefits and bond department repayment.

Gratz said the revenue increase from enrollment growth is enough to cover expenses associated with growth.