Spring Break
Division faces major budget cuts
Division of Student Affairs works to restructure amid funding gap
Rachel Crews
Issue date: 1/19/07 Section: News
For about a year this winter, OSU's Division of Student Affairs has been working to find a way to deal with $1.5 million budget shortfall.
The funding gap as already affected areas like Career Services and Counseling and Psychological Services.
"We are doing everything we can to be responsible," said Vice Provost for Student Affairs Larry Roper. "We want to be accountable to the students for the content and quality of our programs."
The budget shortfall is a direct result of an increase in the cost of operations, Roper said.
Student programs - starting with programs designed for outgoing students - will be cut to match the deficit in funding.
Some programs have already been cut back, including staffing for the Student Orientation and Retention office.
The budget has already been trimmed to approximately $4.6 million, leaving number crunchers to figure out how to cut another $855,000.
Last winter, the Office of Student Affairs began discussing a restructure of the services they provide in order to cover the gap in funding. The proposals were presented to the ASOSU Undergraduate Senate in November.
Four key areas of student affairs have been operating with less staff than is considered optimal: admissions, the registrar's office, financial aid and services for students with disabilities.
The repercussions of decisions made in future meetings will result in cuts to the following student services: Career Services, Counseling and Psychological Services, the Office of the Dean of Student Life, the Educational Opportunities Program, the Enrollment Management Administration, Pre-College Programs, Student Orientation and Retention, the Minority Education Office and the Office of the Vice Provost for Student Affairs.
Whether any services will be completely cut has not yet been decided. Cuts from some programs may force students - who used to receive such services for free - to be charged.
The changes that may be made are not simply cuts - there will be a restructuring of services as well. An example of the structure changes is the combining of the Services for Students with Disabilities and the Technology Access Program.
The restructuring of certain programs will allow them to function at full capacity with less-than-optimal staff levels.
"All of these services in one place allows for a more timely response," said Tracy Bentley Townlin, director of SSD.
The Technology Access Program provides supplements to education for students with disabilities. Combining the programs is an effort designed to make the services more efficient.
A town hall meeting will be held on Jan. 22 in MU 208 at 4 p.m. This meeting will allow students to voice their opinions on a restructure proposal drafted by the Office of Student Affairs.
The funding gap as already affected areas like Career Services and Counseling and Psychological Services.
"We are doing everything we can to be responsible," said Vice Provost for Student Affairs Larry Roper. "We want to be accountable to the students for the content and quality of our programs."
The budget shortfall is a direct result of an increase in the cost of operations, Roper said.
Student programs - starting with programs designed for outgoing students - will be cut to match the deficit in funding.
Some programs have already been cut back, including staffing for the Student Orientation and Retention office.
The budget has already been trimmed to approximately $4.6 million, leaving number crunchers to figure out how to cut another $855,000.
Last winter, the Office of Student Affairs began discussing a restructure of the services they provide in order to cover the gap in funding. The proposals were presented to the ASOSU Undergraduate Senate in November.
Four key areas of student affairs have been operating with less staff than is considered optimal: admissions, the registrar's office, financial aid and services for students with disabilities.
The repercussions of decisions made in future meetings will result in cuts to the following student services: Career Services, Counseling and Psychological Services, the Office of the Dean of Student Life, the Educational Opportunities Program, the Enrollment Management Administration, Pre-College Programs, Student Orientation and Retention, the Minority Education Office and the Office of the Vice Provost for Student Affairs.
Whether any services will be completely cut has not yet been decided. Cuts from some programs may force students - who used to receive such services for free - to be charged.
The changes that may be made are not simply cuts - there will be a restructuring of services as well. An example of the structure changes is the combining of the Services for Students with Disabilities and the Technology Access Program.
The restructuring of certain programs will allow them to function at full capacity with less-than-optimal staff levels.
"All of these services in one place allows for a more timely response," said Tracy Bentley Townlin, director of SSD.
The Technology Access Program provides supplements to education for students with disabilities. Combining the programs is an effort designed to make the services more efficient.
A town hall meeting will be held on Jan. 22 in MU 208 at 4 p.m. This meeting will allow students to voice their opinions on a restructure proposal drafted by the Office of Student Affairs.
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