Upcoming budget forum

Today, Gov. Mark Parkinson announced an additional 2 percent cut to the Kansas Board of Regents' budget. This will amount to a $2.2 million cut in KUMC's state general fund and $50,000 reduction for the Kansas Medical Student Loan program, which will not affect students enrolled for the next academic year. On the Lawrence campus, it will amount to a $2.77 million cut from the state general fund.

These cuts are in addition to the $12.1 million that we have already cut for FY2010 on the KUMC campus, and approximately $15 million cut on the Lawrence and Edwards campuses.

The KBOR and KU officials were not surprised by these cuts, as we knew overall tax revenues were down. In order to address the current budget gaps, the KBOR raised tuition by 6 percent last week, and KU will also be using resources from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (federal stimulus package). We are still identifying additional cost reductions and efficiencies since federal funding will not be available after 2011.

To discuss this more in-depth, I have scheduled a budget forum at noon on Wednesday, July 8, in Alderson Auditorium on the Lawrence campus, to which everyone is invited.

In Kansas City, people can watch the forum in the G013 SON Auditorium, and in Wichita, people can view the forum in the Wichita Room. On the Lawrence and Edwards campuses, people can view a live stream of the meeting. A recording of the event will be posted on KU's YouTube site.

Together, we will work to become a stronger university through the budget crisis.

Barbara F. Atkinson, MD
KU Interim Chancellor and Executive Vice Chancellor for the KU Medical Center