The Michigan Daily - Friday, April 16, 1993- Page 5
I
Hospitals
not to be
included in T
program
by David Shepardson^
Daily Government Reporter
Schools may not replace faculty
The provost announced last Au-
gust that a program of "Shared Sacri-
fice" will be implemented to cut all
programs by 2 percent.
But the program was never in-
tended to apply to the University Hos-
pitals because it has already far ex-
ceeded administrators' recommenda-
tions for containing andreducing costs.
Senior Associate University Hos-
pitals Director Ellen Goucher said the
hospitals are not involved in the
University's program of across-the-
board cuts.
"(Provost)GilWhitaker has never
contacted me about 'Shared Sacri-
fice,"'Goucher said.
For the past five years, the Univer-
sity Hospitals have been involved in a
program called 'Total Quality Man-
agement" (TQM). Goucher, who is in
chargeofthewidely-copiedandhighly
successful program said the hospitals
are looking for still other ways to cut
the their budget. TQM has already
saved about $17 million since it was
implemented.
"This is a long-term project," said
Goucher.
In its third or fourth year, the "Cost
Effectiveness Program" has already
cutnearly 25 percent of the per patient
cost of the hospital.
by Kenneth Dancyger
Daily Faculty Reporter
Plans by the University administra-
tion to implement a 2-percent cut in
base-budget allocations for next year
may cause many colleges within the
University to shuffle both faculty and
student resources.
Budget-planners in LSA are prepar-
ing to rework their multi-million dollar
allotment for next fall, which will affect
more than 14,000 students and 750 fac-
ulty members.
"Units looking at a budget cut will
look for places to trim rather than at
places (that are) difficult to cut," said
John Cross, LSA assistant dean forbud-
get and administration.
The cut would mean the elimination
of approximately 15 faculty members
next year and 25 teaching assistants
each term, Cross said.
He added that the college would not
terminate any faculty, but those who
leave would not be replaced.
'We have plenty of turnover in sal-
ary-based resources," Cross said.
"(LSA) can handle a2-percentcut with-
out letting anybody go."
He added that on the average, LSA
loses about 30 faculty members each
year. Under the current budget pro-
posal, only half would be replaced.
The minimal amount of financial
aidhandledbyLSA will notbe affected,
Cross said. In addition, allotments for
office-related expenses, such as copy-
ing, phone bills and maintenance will
not change, since they are already at the
lowest possible level, Cross added.
"'The only way to respond to a bud-
get cut is to cut personnel," he said.
Director of the Division of Kinesiol-
ogy D.W. Edington agreed and said
students would be the last ones to be
directly hit by a budget cut.
"Our philosophy in Kinesiology ...
is that we're still trying to protect the
core of what we do," Edington said.
'We are trying to protect students."
Edington added that the only way
students would be affected by the
University's plan is if Kinesiology is
forced to shrink its part-time faculty.
In addition, Edington said Kinesiol-
ogy should be able to maintain its coun-
seling programs.
"There may be a problem if the cuts
(resurface) for the next five years," he
said. "In the third year we would be
forced to cut sections and increase class
size, but I don'tsee that happening right
now."
Judith Pitney, director of planning
and administrative services, speaking
on behalf of the College of Engineering,
said current plans for base-budget allo-
cations will not be a cut in funds, but
rather areallocation of finances through-
out University divisions and colleges.
Budget-planners will only receive
half of the anticipated 4 percent in-
crease for faculty salaries, Pitney said.
The additional 2 percent will have to be
collected from other sections of the
budget besides salaries.
She added that the 2-percent cut will
not have any affect on the University's
6,400 Engineering students.
However, Pitney said the new bud-
get plan will affect smaller divisions
and colleges - such as Kinesiology-
more drastically than the larger depart-
ments - such as Engineering.
She added that the budget revision is
not as extreme as previous years, when
monies were actually taken away from
University allotments.
"There was a 1-percent base-budget
reduction last year," Pitney said.
Aftermeeting the cost-cutting goals,
the hospitals gave a 4-percent bonus to
successful employees.
But part of the mission is to extend
these cost-controlmethods to other parts
of the University.
'We will help anyone who would
like to learn about techniques that we
have used to drastically cut our budget,
while maintaining quality," she said.
The University Hospitals have swal-
lowedbudgetcutsof6and 10percent in
separate fiscal years during the last de-
cade.
The rest of the University adopted
some of the cost-cutting techniques of
the hospitals. "M-Quality" was cre-
ated two years ago to mirror some of
the hospitals' approaches toward
TQM. This program enjoyed limited
success in cutting costs.
Goucher said all 7,000 hospital
employees participate.
"With the changing health care
field, the University Hospitals must
take the lead in keeping costs down in
providing affordable health care,"
Goucher said.
Computing hours
wil not chang e
by Melissa Peerless
Daily News Editor
DPS ignorant of budget cuts
by Will McCahill
Daily Crime Reporter
Although the University is set to
implementa 2-percent across-the-board
cutin next year's budget, the director of
the University police force says his de-
partment has not been informed of any
impending reductions.
University Department of Public
Safety (DPS)DirectorLeo Heatleysaid
Wednesday itis much too early forDPS
to know if the money allotted to it next
year will be less than this year.
Heatley said although he keeps
abreast of discussions of the Univer-
sity budget, he "hasn't heard the 2-
percent figure."
"That comes from (the state legisla-
ture in) Lansing," Heatley said, add-
ing, "There's no way to project cuts."
DPS Lt. James Smiley said apower
struggle between the state legislature
and the state school system over rev-
enues and property taxes is holding up
debate on the 1994 fiscal year budget.
'We mighthear something after the
July (University Board of Regents')
meeting," Heatley said, but added that
he believes it will be at least August
before the department receives any defi-
nite word.
In the past, DPS has dealt with
smaller University budgets by not in-
creasing staff salaries.
Normal procedure allows the de-
partment to make small increases in
salary to keep up with the rate of infla-
tion.
Heatley said he thought the depart-
ment might deal with any future cuts by
once again holding salary levels con-
stant.
Students who are concerned about long lines at campus
computing sites may have more reason to worry next year.
In its fiscal year 1994 budget, the University mandated
that all departments that receive money from its General
Fund make a 2-percent across-the-board budget cut.
The Information Technology Division (TD) - the
administrative branch in charge of the University's comput-
ing systems - will be forced to reduce some of its services
as a result of this decision.
Jeffrey Tibbs, the director of resource administration at
ITD, said the department will make some changes.
But Tibbs indicated computing site hours should not
change.
'We are not anticipating any reduction in the hours of the
public sites."
However, the 4-HELP telephone computer assistant
service stands to suffer from the budget cuts.
In addition, Tibbs said ITD will have to reduce some
services connected with the Michigan Terminal System
(MTS) - the University's electronic-mail network.
"Any time that you have to take a budget reduction, and
the cost of things increases, it is painful. This requires us to
ITD has already moved to reduce 4-HELP staff
positions.
Tibbs said this personnel reduction will probably
result in longer waits at computing centers.
"The queues may become a little bit longer," Tibbs
said. "We can't say for certain, but there is a possibility
that there may be longer lines."
LSA first-year studentJohnO'Keefe said this incon-
venience could create problems.
"It's tough because it's already very difficult to get a
computer, especially at this time in the term," he said.
But more changes are in store for MTS users.
'Wewill probably freeze the software," he said. "We
won't continue to develop the system."
But Tibbs said the University is aware of MTS's
importance.
MCHELLE GUY/ilIy
rework the way we do things to be more efficient," he
said.
SAPAC will not lessen
*student programming
LGMPO w'll suffer
F from reduced funds
by Karen Talaski
Daily Gender Issues Reporter
Even if the Sexual Assault Preven-
tion and Awareness Center (SAPAC) is
affected by the University's "Shared
Sacrifice" 2-percent budget cut, its co-
ordinators say they do not plan on re-
ducing its services to the community.
"It's hard to (continue doing) what
we have without funding. I hate to see
any budget cuts," said SAPAC Director
Debi Cain. "I fear that the University
doesn't see sexual assault prevention as
a priority."
Although it is not officially known
whether SAPAC will be a part of the
sacrificeplan,Cainandotherstaffmem-
bers began diversifying the sources of
the office's funds. Also, administrators
plan on expanding volunteer programs
and the number of interns from gradu-
ate programs.
Cain stressed that the office does not
plan on making any changes to its client
services or current staffing if its budget
is shrunk. Instead, any cuts would be in
office supplies and the printing costs of
posters and flyers, Cain said.
WThat would mean reducing pro-
g," she added. "I think there
are ways we can absorb a cut without
cutting services."
Cain said she applied for grants from
the state of Michigan as a way of diver-
sifying funding as well as asking stu-
dent organizations for extra monetary
support.
"SAPAC's real strength has been
that students see itas astudentorganiza-
tion. These groups might be able to help
us financially to do what we have to do
to survive," Cain added.
SAPAC administrators said they also
plan to create more unpaid positions to
help the office survive the economic
crunch. Men's Outreach Coordinator
Rahul Sharma said his position would
be filled by a masters of social work
student if the cut occurs.
As well, Sharma said two under-
graduate students would be brought in
to coordinate the General Volunteer
Program. The position was unfilled in
the past because of the hiring freeze
throughout the University.
"The staffing shortage this year ...
was due tounderfunding,"Sharmasaid.
"Ifwehadall the funding allocated tous
we would already have coordinators for
the General Volunteer Program."
Cuts w'il not impact
on financial aid dept.
by Nate Hurley tion in the support we receive from the
Daily Administration Reporter general fund," he said.
Students relying on financial aid The office's yearly budget is around
from the University can breathe easier $21 million, Grotrian said. He said a 2-
as the Office of Financial Aid will be percent cut would be a "substantial fig-
exemnt from the 2-percent across-the- ure."
0
E
board budget cuts.
"Itsimply isnotin the bestinterestof
the University to apply this type of
budget cut measure to the program,"
said Harvey Grotrian, director of the
Office of Financial Aid. He said the
department has been exempt from bud-
get reductions at least since 1976, when
he came to the University.
"I would not ancticipate any reduc-
by Jen DiMascio
Daily Gender Issues Reporter
Although the University is planning
an across-the-board 2-percent budget
cut for all University departments,
spokespeople for the Lesbian Gay Male
Programs Office (LGMPO) and the Of-
fice for Student Affairs cannot say how
extensive the cuts may actually be for
LGMPO.
Jim Toy, LGMPO coordinator, said
budget cuts may run deeper than the 2-
percent proposed cuts.
Richard Carter, associate dean for
student affairs' multicultural office, de-
clined comment about the cuts.
'We're very much in the decision
making phase right now," Carter said.
Toy said the 2 percent budget cuts
will affect salaries more than anything
else. He said the issue can be looked at
from two different perspectives.
'You can say the budget is so small
cuts just don'tmake adifference. On the
other hand we need every penny we can
get," Toy added.
Since the office has yet to hire a full-
time replacement for Billie Edwards,
the co-coordinator who left the office in
late January, the office could conceiv-
ably cut its budget with little effect.
The administration has interviewed
three people for a part-time replacement
position. Toy said Carter's decision
should be difficult because all threehold
strong qualifications.
"I'd rather have three good people to
choose from-at least there's talent and
As for a permanent replacement,
Toy said they have planned a search
committee for a new co-coordinator
over the summer. Toy saidCarter should
extend a job offer by today.
Lastyear, $92,600 covered the sala-
ries of Toy, Edwards, two part-time
staffers, and work-study students.Next
year, Toy said he expects to have
$90,750 for salaries.
You can say the budget is
so small cuts just don't
make a difference. On the
other hand we need every
penny we can get.'
-Jm Toy
LGMPO coordinator
The LGMPO budget also contains
a portion titled "General Operations."
General Operations covers office sup-
plies including MTS, paper clips, pa-
per, copying costs, andtelephones. The
office currently receives $16,000 for
General Operations. That figure may
be reduced to $15,680 for the 1993-
1994 school year.
Toy said the budget barely covers
current costs and does not allow the
office to enact programming. As a re-
sult, Toy said students find outsidefund-
ing for activities such as Club Fabulous
- a monthly dance promoted by the
"Each year, incremental increases
are provided to the Office of Financial
Aid. An incremental increase isplanned
once again this year to offset the lack of
growth in federal and state grant pro-
grams."
Although the state has frozen the
real-money amount of support it will
give to state universities, it is up to the
schools to offset the effect.
Libraries will provide salary increases
by James Cho
Daily Staff Reporter
In response to the University's
"Shared Sacrifice" Plan, the University
will be tapped only as a last resort.
The additional funds will probably
come from both the personnel and non-
personnel budgets, which include of-
"The University Library will obtain
the funds by not filling vacant positions
rather than laying off people," Riggs
said.
someone to fill the positions. As far as
personnel goes, it won'tbe that much of
a trauma"
Riggs said the funding freeze for the