C of C chief addresses cuts by state

The College of Charleston will deal with nearly $5 million in state cuts by hiring only essential new staff members and cutting budgets in all departments, President George Benson said.

In an e-mail to faculty and staff members Monday, Benson stated the college would compensate for the cuts by:

-- Filling only the most critical personnel vacancies.

-- Requiring executive vice presidents to recommend budget cuts in the areas they supervise.

-- Charging the college's executive team to meet to explore options for ensuring the college's long-term fiscal health.

But Benson's e-mail also stated that despite the current financial crisis, the college must continue to "make strategic investments that will allow us to make significant progress following this financial crisis."

Steve Osborne, the college's executive vice president for business affairs, said the cuts mean "we'll have fewer staff and reductions in operating budgets across the college."

"It will have an impact," he said.

But the cuts won't be made in "areas that affect our critical mission of serving students," he said.

Osborne said specific cuts haven't yet been identified. But, he said, "I don't think the average student will see a change in day-to-day life or their education."

The college will likely make cuts in all departments, he said. But it won't require that each department lose the same percentage of it's funding. Some costs, such as rent and insurance, are fixed, he said, and can't be cut. Departments that have higher fixed costs might not be able to cut as much from their budgets, he said.

Osborne said the college might be facing even more state budget cuts this year.

"We've seen trends like this before," but the recent cuts are more severe, he said.

And, he added, "the cuts are permanent cuts." The state has no intention of restoring the money next year, he said.

"I am confident that careful review and analysis will get us through this budget crisis without sacrificing the quality educational experience that our university is built upon and known for," Benson wrote.

Reach Diane Knich at 937-5491 or dknich@postandcourier.com.