University System Cuts
I am receiving hundreds of calls and emails about the proposed cuts to the University System of Georgia. The Appropriation Committee is still debating, researching and pulling resources together. In the midst of the budget panic, there has been misinformation circulating around the state, specifically on who decided what to cut in the University System. I want to show all of you what the facts are and how we all can help to effectively fight for education. Please look for my special legislative update by the end of the week.
Email response:
Thank you for your email. As a Legislator, a board member of Henry County Farm Bureau, and a parent with a child in the University System of Georgia I can appreciation your concerns and objections to the proposed cuts.
The budget reductions released today by the University System of Georgia (USG) were in response to the request from the Appropriations Committee that the system cut another $300 million from their budget without raising student tuition. These are proposed by USG not by the Legislature. With that said, the Appropriations Committee is going to be taking into account the projected cuts of the USG, but please remember that the USG’s Chancellor and Board of Regents will be the final determination of where the cuts come from not the legislature. The Appropriations Committee sets the amount of the cut, not where the cuts are targeted.
Additionally, as testified in committee the USG is offering over 9,000 waivers to out of state, illegal immigrant, and legal foreign born students. By eliminating these waivers the system can save approximately $180 million! Furthermore, eighteen of the top twenty paid USG employees received raises in 2009. One professor, Stephen Baginski, went from $270,000 to $341,000 for a total increase of 26.18%! We are clearly not down to the bone in funding for the University System.
I encourage you to forward your comments to Chancellor Davis or call their office of fiscal affairs as your efforts will be more effective.
chancellor@usg.edu
Chancellor Errol Davis
270 Washington Street, SW
Atlanta, Georgia 30334
404-656-2202
http://www.usg.edu/fiscal_affairs/
Representative Steve Davis
Georgia House of Representatives
Suite 601-D, CLOB
Atlanta, GA 30334
404-656-0254
Senator John Douglas’ response:
Thank you for the email.
Here is the rest of the story that the University System has not told you:
UGA pays its president $661,000 a year ( about 4 times the salary of Gov Perdue and 38 times my Senate salary) including membership in five different clubs, a substantial housing allowance, car lease funds, a salary supplement of $125,000 per year, and a number of other benefits. They also pay Stephen Baginski, an Accounting Professor $361,000 per year in salary and benefits. Many others too numerous to mention are paid well over $250,000 a year at UGA. It just happens that I have UGA’s figures in front of me at the moment, every other large university in this state pays on a similar scale.
The University System will make the decision on which programs to cut. I recommend they cut some salaries and keep more programs so we will all be better off.
Thank you again for the email.