A&M-Commerce proposes 12 percent budget cut

A&M-Commerce will see a large rise in budget cuts in the next biennium according to President Dan Jones.

Over the past biennium – four semesters – the school was forced to cut two-and-a-half percent of its budget and was part of a five percent cut that included the entire A&M System. All public schools faced similar cuts in the last biennium.

President of the Student Government Association Taylor Fore said the school will most likely face these cuts again over the next two years.

"Higher education has given so much already," he said.

In addition to the return of these cuts, another 12 percent is to be cut as well.

Jones said each department on campus will be taxed equally to find the money and some positions may have to be eliminated.

"No one area will be hurt anymore than another," he said. 

Although Jones said he and the A&M-Commerce administration are exploring every possible avenue to fulfill the cuts, the school may need to rely more on full-time faculty since part-time positions could be cut. He said A&M-Commerce should not have to lay off any full-time faculty regardless of where cuts are made.

"We are trying to do everything we can before we lay off faculty," he said.

Fore said the academic deans are also being consulted about the cuts.

"We are asking them to make a list of what they can live with out," he said.

If cuts are made to the staff, students will face larger class sizes as a result. With this in mind, Fore said the administration of A&M-Commerce is trying to decide how many classes to put online. If both classes and positions are cut, Jones said the school will rely on full-time teachers to pick up the slack.

Regardless of the cuts, the plan to divide The College of Arts and Sciences is still going through. Jones said money was already allocated for the split, which would not be affected by the budget cuts. The colleges that come out of the split will face reductions in the upcoming biennium like any of the other colleges, according to Jones.

Although both Jones and Fore said they realize a financially tough time is ahead they agreed that staying with the mission of the school was important and that A&M-Commerce will flourish in the end.

"If we go through it with that spirit, I think we will be ok," Jones said.