Academic and other budget cuts: The times they are a changin'

I recently subscribed to a feed that lists daily the various cuts planned or posited by various institutions of higher education in order to make their budgets whole. These changes have been a long time in coming. What is most surprising is the wholeale plans to eliminate or par down many academic subject areas or programs, some areas that have been in the academic menu since the beginning of post-secondary education began.

Sure we have had cuts before around the country. The one I remembered vividly and which got quite a bit of press at its time was the closing of the Columbia University School of Journalism. And in the 80s, there was a smattering of regional private institutions that closed; some were rejevuenated by new buyers (e.g. Post College in Waterbury CT by a Japanese firm, University of Bridgeport that was allegedly run at one time by the Moonies), but the warning bells of mass closings never happened.

In budget cutting times, generally the plan was to cut travel, supplies, part time staff, staff in areas outside of academics (such as business, sports, student services, and advancement), but this particular budget busting time appears to call for my strategic and deep long term cuts. Administrators are saying that they are cutting programs that do not have enough students, are too costly, or are not viable in today's economy. Faculty are outraged that their field could be seen as disposable.

There are no good solutions. Obama is lauded for his new financial aid packages but the programs will help students attend school, not prop up the institutions. There are some program monies for STEM initatives, but many of these are given (and rightfully so since the country is so remiss in science and math literacy) to the k-12 system.

Yet with the economy edging quite slowly toward some type of clawing out of the recession, there still needs to be places where the populace can get some training and education for current and future jobs. Yet, state budgets for public institutions are funded at stable levels and do not take into account (or subsidize) the torrent of students. But the burgeoning of higher education and its contribution to research and to the upgrading of the socioeconomic status of many, as well as nation-building has been key to this Nation's greatness both in the 19th and the 20th centuries.

How do we create a viable system so that the needs of the individuals and the collective can be served?