As the commonwealth's financial condition continues to worsen, the University might be forced to cut its budget by upward of 20 percent in each of the next two years.
By Sept. 20, University officials will submit a confidential plan to Gov. Mark R. Warner detailing how the University intends to reduce expenditures.
Warner announced this month that Virginia faces a $1.5 billion budget deficit, larger than previous grim reports had anticipated.
In a speech earlier this month, Warner called for massive budget cuts to erase the deficit and for state departments to submit plans to save money.
"They have to submit plans that increase the cuts they are already making," Warner spokeswoman Ellen Qualls said.
The University is submitting three scenarios to Warner -- additional cuts of 7, 11 or 15 percent in 2003 and 2004, according to Qualls.
These cuts come on top of the 7 and 8 percent budget cuts the University will experience in 2003 and 2004, respectively. The worst case scenario for the University is a total budget cut of 22 percent in 2003 and 23 percent in 2004.
Once Warner sees the way budget cuts of various sizes will affect state agencies, he will determine what size of a cut each agency receives, Qualls said.
"I really can't predict what the University will end up with," she said.
Whereas recent budget cuts have not drastically reduced the University's educational resources, another batch of cuts could be more noticeable, said Collete Sheehy, vice president of management and budget.
"If you take another 10 to 12 percent out of the budget, there will be visible signs around Grounds," Sheehy said.
Budget cuts already have affected University libraries and printing, she said.
The library system was forced to reduce its hours, and was unable to re-hire 80 employees because of budget problems. In another move to cut costs, students will only be allowed to print 500 sides of pages for free from ITC computers each semester.
Once the cuts go into effect, the University will place the highest priority on maintaining the quality of instruction, Sheehy said.
So far, budget cuts have not caused a disproportionate number of classes to be canceled this semester.
"This year I think we have fewer cancellations" than in previous years, English department chairman Michael Levenson said.
One solution to reductions in state budget funding is to seek more private contributions, something College Dean Edward Ayers has tried to do.
"Dean Ayers was very generous in giving us some extra money," Psychology department Chair Timothy D. Wilson said.
But Levenson said it might only be a matter of time until budget cuts cause more class cancellations.
"If the University can't hire for a series of years, then we'll be in trouble," he said.
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