FHSU handling latest round of cuts

Last Update: 7/03 6:22 pm

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HAYS, Kansas – Universities across the state are being forced to make additional budget cuts following Thursday’s announcement by Governor Mark Parkinson to reduce funding by another two percent at the State Board of Regents schools.

Fort Hays State University is coping with the cuts. Luckily, the college was prepared to handle them and had some extra cash plugged into its budget for “strategic planning.”

“We will use that budget line again this year so that we can protect the operating budgets of our academic units and our support services,” said Ed Hammond, president of FHSU.

Previous budget cuts had already forced some summer changes including four-day work weeks and limited air conditioning. When classes resume in the fall, tuition will go up by $6.85 a credit hour. But some relief is coming thanks to more than $2.7 million in federal stimulus funds.

“We're creating a tuition incentive program, which we're calling TIP,” Hammond said. “It will reward our current students with good academic performance by reducing the tuition hike that was recently approved by the Board of Regents.”

Students with a full course load will be credited $5 per credit hour for maintaining a “C” or better average. Stimulus money will also help the unemployed get back to class.

“We're also creating the Stress Kansans Scholarship program for workers who've lost their jobs and want to return to school,” said Hammond.

That program will pay full tuition and fees for up to six on-campus credit hours. The remaining stimulus funds will be used to help the college replace the roof of one campus building and do some electrical upgrades, helping the campus to become more energy efficient as it looks to install wind turbines in the future.

While FHSU is handling the latest round of budget cuts, President Hammond says that any further reductions from the state would mean cutting academic programs and services.

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