Of course, Washington is not the only state to be facing major budget problems that will affect higher education. A reminder of that fact can be found in Arizona, where Arizona State University has announced dramatic program cuts. According to today’s Arizona Republic:
Arizona State University President Michael Crow on Tuesday announced sweeping cuts that will cap enrollment, shut down four dozen academic programs, scale back operations at its Polytechnic and West campuses, and close applications to next year’s freshman class five months earlier than planned.
In addition, the university may seek a tuition increase for next fall – on top of an increase approved in December – in response to reductions in state funding.
And that’s just for 2009. Crow said that for 2010, it’s possible that the Polytechnic and West campuses could be closed entirely.
Crow was alternately angry, resigned, defiant and hopeful as he spoke of how “we’ve worked with administrators, professors, staff and students to find ways to make these cuts.”
He said that with 550 positions already eliminated and about 200 faculty-associate contracts not being renewed, “probably several hundred” more employees will lose their jobs as a result of the cuts he announced Tuesday.
As the news of the cuts and changes spread to the four ASU campuses, the gravity of the move sank in. . .
You can read the entire story here.