The state budget that was approved over the weekend, which will go into effect in July, includes nearly $100 million in cuts to the states three public universities. The schools are deciding how to cope with the reduction in funding.
Northern Arizona University will take a $17.3 million cut. NAU spokesman Tom Bauer said there is one program the university won’t change.
“We’re committed to keeping our pledge in place, which is the guaranteed tuition," Bauer said. "When a student comes in that tuition rate is guaranteed for the next eight semesters.”
Bauer said it’s too soon to know exactly what programs or services will be cut, but all areas of the institution are fair game.
The University of Arizona will take a nearly $29 million reduction in state funding. UA Provost Andrew Comrie said when deciding what to cut back on the university will go through a process called shared governance.
“Different folks on campus, faculty, staff, students help contribute to that disussion through committees and so forth and we will do that," Comrie said. "We will listen and try to get a sense of what we think our priorities are and how we should weigh them.”
He expects to make some decisions in the next month or two.
The president of Arizona State University, Michael Crow, said in a statement, "The budget was implemented without input from higher education leaders."
ASU is still assessing the impact of the $53.2 million in cuts it faces.
