OSU mid-year cuts could mean fewer classes, higher tuition - Alexia Tate, @ocolly

Oklahoma State University cut almost a combined $7.5 million from its reserve funds in December and March because of the state’s current budget shortfall, university officials said. OSU spokesman Gary Shutt said the cuts didn’t cause “immediate disruption” to academic programs. However, OSU’s chief budget officer, Mary Bryans, didn’t respond to requests for documentation showing the breakdown of the specific reserve funds from which the money was taken. But Bryans said OSU wouldn’t use the same money to help soften the blow of budget cuts expected for the fiscal year starting July 1. Higher education officials said last month they expect a budget cut of up to 14 percent for the next fiscal year. They won’t know how much has to be cut until state legislators complete the budget in late May. But university officials have said those cuts will likely result in higher tuition and fees, fewer courses, and fewer faculty members. http://www.ocolly.com/news/article_0dd70af0-0a42-11e6-b65f-bf347ca1f859.html