Thursday, May 5, 2016
Oklahoma college presidents warn lawmakers about dire budget - Associated Press
College and university presidents from across Oklahoma visited with lawmakers Wednesday and urged them to ease cuts to higher education as they grapple with a $1.3 billion hole in next fiscal year's budget. Chancellor of Higher Education Glen Johnson and the presidents of some of the state's 25 colleges and universities held closed-door meetings with House and Senate budget leaders to outline some of the dire consequences of further cuts. "To this point, this fiscal year already, the cut to our system of higher education has come to $112 million," Johnson said after the meeting. "That represents over an 11 percent cut since the beginning of the fiscal year." Some institutions have implemented early retirement offers and furlough plans, while others have eliminated programs and consolidated operations.
http://www.theeagle.com/news/nation/oklahoma-college-presidents-warn-lawmakers-about-dire-budget/article_1bd8e03c-44ac-5d96-9569-4c72320c74d5.html