University of Wyoming weighs options for budget cuts

     The University of Wyoming is joining other state agencies in trying to determine how it will trim eight percent from its budget.  U-W Provost Myron Allen says an eight percent cut most certainly means that some positions will have to be eliminated.  However, Allen says it’s still too early to say if U-W will have to eliminate degree programs.

“I’d prefer not to implement across the board reductions, so there probably be some programs that are hit a lot harder than others.  But whether we will have to eliminate some programs, I don’t know yet.”

Allen says there is no way that U-W could raise enough money through tuition and fees to easily make up for an eight percent budget cut. 

 “Tuition and fees are such a small component of UW’s overall budget, mainly because of the generosity of the legislature throughout the years.  But what that means is that it would take an unacceptably large percentage increase in tuition to make up for any kind of significant budget cut.”

Governor Matt Mead says state agencies will present their proposals for eight percent cuts to him for determination on which reductions are the most appropriate.  The cuts would be applied to the budget that begins on July first of 2013.