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In hopes of swaying the decision-makers of the Maine Legislature regarding the University of Maine’s budget woes, President Peter Hoff and UMaine System Trustee Matt Rodrigue spoke before the Legislature’s Funding Committee on Friday, Jan. 16. Citizens from all parts of the state pleaded their cases with the committee, trying to avoid program cuts.
Upon opening the floor for those opposing the budget cuts, Hoff addressed the committee, highlighting UMaine’s recent successes as a research institution, including a $6 million grant from the National Science Foundation to create the Institute for Molecular Biophysics and the nationally top-10 ranked Target Technology Center.
Gov. John Baldacci’s statewide budget cut plan proposes a $7 million cut to the University of Maine System, with $5.8 million to be cut this year. The original figure proposed $13 million in cuts to the system.
But the university’s research successes are not all it has offered the state in the last year, Hoff added. Naturally following success in higher education institutions is economic growth, he said. Hoff reminded the committee of $30 million externally funded contract work brought to Maine by the UMS in the past year.
“The $87.5 million of tax support UMaine received from the state in 2002 accounted for more than $570 million in high-level economic activity,” Hoff said. “And that is just a conservative estimate.”
Hoff cautioned the committee about the serious effects of cutting the university’s budget.
“The ratio goes the other way … Every time we take a dollar of appropriation away from UMaine, we take away $6 of economic activity statewide,” he said.
The fear of repercussions from reduced funding echoed throughout other testimonies as well. Speakers recounted the pitfalls of the early 1990s, when the state repeatedly cut its higher education budget. Others expressed concern that students receiving an education through the UMS could not stay in the state because attractive jobs were available outside Maine.
“Our state’s ability to withstand swings in the economy is based on developing and diversifying our work force,” said Rodrigue, former student body president at UMaine.
Speakers opposing the budget cut also admitted that such cuts are inevitable. Hoff explained that UMaine has already reduced the number of courses offered in the spring semester, frozen vacant positions, and canceled equipment purchases and professional travel already planned, all in attempts to accommodate a budget cut.
“I appreciate the challenges facing you and your fellow legislators,” Rodrigue said. “I urge you to make those cuts cautiously, and I ask you to use your authority to minimize the negative impact of this year’s budget cuts on Maine’s students – and on the quality and reputation of our universities. If we don’t protect the quality, affordability and reputation of our universities, we jeopardize Maine’s future.”
