U. officials relieved to regain state funding

After two years of coping with reduced state allocations, University administrators responded with relief and gratitude yesterday following Gov. Robert Casey's announcement that his proposed 1994-95 fiscal budget would include $35 million for the University. "It's a relief," said Alan Kelly, acting dean of the Veterinary School, whose school was hit hardest by the state's cutbacks over the past two years. "The school is not totally out of the woods, but we're better off than we were before." Out of the $35 million proposed for the University in the governor's budget proposal, $15.5 million will go to funding for general educational programs in all twelve schools, $5.3 million will support Dental and Medical School programs and $14 million will subsidize the Veterinary School. "We're very pleased," said Executive Vice President Janet Hale. "This is recognition of the governor's commitment to higher education -- we're thrilled." In his last two budget proposals to the state legislature, Casey ignored the University's request for funds, forcing the University to make do with no guarantee of state funding. But, in each of the two years, the state legislature voted to allocate a portion of the money retroactively to the University. In 1992-93, the University received $21.7 million from the state -- only 50 percent of the amount it was allocated the year before, Vice President for Finance Stephen Golding said last night. As part of an agreement between the University, governor's office, and state legislature reached last summer, the school is slated to receive this money over a multi-year period. In this year's budget address, Casey gave the University 96 percent of his 1991-1992 allotment, which was the largest grant the University has ever received from the state. "From the standpoint of the University's financial position, it's what we were planning on," Golding said. "It is the first time in three years that we received what we thought we would receive -- it will make financial planning that much easier." Although the proposed budget stands to help ease the fiscal problems of the Vet School, it won't put the School on firm financial footing, Kelly said. "The school itself is not threatened, but the quality of the school is in question," he added. Kelly said the Vet School will be forced to borrow money from the University in order to balance its budget. Hale said she is "cautiously optimistic" that the state legislature will pass the governor's proposed budget. "It is something less than what we received in the past," added Golding, "but we understand the financial situation of the Commonwealth and are grateful for the support."

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