State of Georgia Lawmakers and the University System Chancellor faced off during a budget discussion on today. At issue? Required furloughs for college and university employees and a $7 million dollar university system advertising budget.
According to the Atlanta Journal Constitution, Chancellor Errol Davis took heat over the University System budget, a plan that would be cut some 10% under recommendations from the Governor.Like many states, all state agencies are under pressure to reduce costs and some are forcing employees to take unpaid days off to close the budget gap. The Chancellor is resistant to use furloughs.
Rep. Chuck Martin (R-Alpharetta) questioned why the university system, which has more than 40,000 employees, is not furloughing employees. He noted that private companies are laying off workers, and many government employees are being forced to take time off. According to AJC staff writers James Salzer and Ariel Hart, Martin asked, “What has the academic world done to share in the economic downturn?”
State representative Martin raised an interesting question, one that should be considered by all colleges and universities. He criticized the system for spending money on recruitment advertising when schools like the University of Georgia are rejecting far more applicants than they accept.
