Ever wonder how academic departments go about getting those snazzy pieces of equipment – the pianos, the labs, the scales, the lighting rigs? They all go under the category of capital budget requests, which individual departments have to submit proposals for. This year the overall budget shortfall is causing a bit of a snag in that process. “The budget this year was made on certain expectations … and all those expectations came in under,” said Jack Zerbe, professor of theatre studies.
Low enrollment, over-awarding of scholarships, students graduating on time, and the school’s recent financial history added up to a million dollar shortfall, according to Zerbe.
As a result, the school might not be seeing as many of those larger items for the institution as in previous years. Departments are being asked to cut down on asking for big items this year. Tim Lindeman, professor of music, said that the requests to cut down “came right from the top office.”
The music department withdrew its proposal for this year. Similarly, other departments have withdrawn or delayed proposals or asked for relatively little.
“The music department has a list a mile long (of things they’d like to do, but) college-wide needs supersede departmental needs in a situation like this,” said Lindeman.
Academic departments have to compete with requests from IT&S as well as the physical plant, these two being the largest annual consumers of capital request funds. This means that when things get a little tighter, the choice can be between new computers or complicated upkeep costs, and lighting systems or lab equipment.
Geology department chair Angie Moore has been buying second-hand scientific equipment for a couple of years now, but that is not to say the reduced budget will be any easier on them than anyone else.
“(We) may need to pay for things that we weren’t expecting to pay for,” said Moore. “We really are trying to stretch the money as far as it can go,” she said as she set up a surveying tool, which they purchased from eBay with a capital request a few years ago.
Likewise, chemistry department chair Rob Whitnell reported that instead of buying a new flourimeter, they are trying to get the current one updated to modern technology.
The general faculty seems to be coping with the situation remarkably well. “I’m much more worried about the national financial situation,” said Adele Wayman, Hege professor of art, despite the fact that her department is one of those going without a proposal this year.
Even though this means that some of the larger propositions will have to be put on hold, it does not mean that there will not be any projects approved in the meantime. Because of the unexpected changes in budget the deadline to turn in proposals this year has been pushed back until November, after the final attendance figures for the fall come in during October.
Some departments have not been noticeably inconvenienced. The philosophy department, for example, rarely asks for anything. When asked about the subject, department chair Nancy Daukas said that as opposed to big purchases “what we need is time.”
Sarah Malino, history department chair, noted that she was more concerned about the department’s course-load than capital budget requests.
A few faculty voices noted that it is good to remember that the administration is not trying to make people’s lives hard. “There is a tendency in students and faculty to sense some devilish conspiracy in the works,” said Zerbe. “(But) we’re going to invest where we hope we can make the biggest difference (for the college).