Short- and long-term pictures differ for university budget - Amanda Pino, Diamondback (University of Maryland)

While budget analysts and Republican legislators proposed a multitude of cuts to the University System of Maryland, both documents largely kept the governor’s proposal intact. But lawmakers did take steps that could cause worry in the future. Both houses recommended slashing the system’s reserves — the Senate by about $3 million, the House by $10 million. And both made non-binding pledges to freeze funding for higher education until 2012, which would almost certainly result in tuition increases beyond this year’s 3-percent jump.