Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett last week proposed a state budget that would once again cut funding for colleges and universities throughout the state.
The announcement prompted concerns that Bucks will implement yet another tuition increase in the coming months.
Bucks President James Linksz said that “It’s a shame that the administration wants to dismantle higher education. The initiative is misguided.”
With Corbett possibly looking at a state budget deficit of $500 million, he needs to make cuts somewhere. Interestingly enough, some are finding the cuts hard to justify due to the $93 million surplus found in the end of June’s fiscal year.
Corbett’s campaign promise was to not raise taxes, and he is standing by that. He is taking money away from the educational system as a way of keeping that promise. Corbett is also taking $100 million in grants that don’t just affect colleges in the area, but all educational institutions in Pennsylvania, with some cuts to kindergartens and other programs.
With last year’s cuts amounting to 20 percent, this year’s cuts may be as much as 25 percent. Corbett wants to take $230 million from Penn State, Pitt, and Temple, and community colleges will see a 4 percent budget cut.
Linksz suggests that the cuts are not a realistic way to build world-class higher education. However, Linksz commended Corbett and the budget secretary for the fact that Bucks’ budget is only being cut 4 percent, unlike the four-year schools that will be cut 20 percent.
The difference, Linksz said, is that Bucks is more cost- effective to the state.
With Bucks being funded by the county, the commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and student tuition, this cut in funding has a direct effect on students at the college.
Linksz said that he believes it would be wise to instead increase the money given to community colleges.
“We are the most effective in getting students into the work force quickly,” Linksz said.
These budget cuts leave everyone asking the same questions. What does this mean for Bucks? How much will we have to pay in tuition now? Also what does this mean about financial aid? In the past Bucks has seen per-credit tuition increases, at various times, of $3 to $7 to last year’s $10 increase.  For now, the future seems uncertain.
Linksz, who announed last semester that he would retire this year, was unable to provide any words to ease such concerns.
He said simply, “If the cuts go through, Bucks’ budget will decrease by $1 million and we will have to balance it by raising tuition and or cutting out expenses.”