A letter to President Austin

It is extremely important to be familiar with what is happening to UConn's budget during these tough economic times. State legislators, students and the UConn administration must take note of budgetary problems.

Yesterday, a political science class was lucky to have UConn President Philip Austin as a guest lecturer concerning the politics of the university budget. The following feedback for him is in order. That said, Dear President Austin:

Thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to come to address a group of students. By devoting time to meet with students, inform them of progress at UConn and hear their suggestions, you have demonstrated a sense of openness from the administration.

Being president of a large university entails a great number of daily bureaucratic tasks. However, one of the most important functions you perform is to take the opportunity to listen to students, hear their opinions and reassure them. By attending a class, you have illustrated a commitment to the students.

The student body can only hope you will show your openness by lecturing in classes, holding small group forums with students, and by devoting a small period in your schedule each week so students have the opportunity to meet with you. An open door policy to your office, for even the smallest number of hours, facilitates great communication with students and develops respect for the administration.

In your lecture, you made comments about the operating and capital budget of UConn. The university has a tendency to promote improvements to the capital budget and the massive building renovations. New buildings should be only one element in the attempt to draw the best and the brightest to UConn, because buildings are a physical testament to the improvements the university is making.

However, it is important to address and talk about the serious flaws and failures in the commitment to the operating budget in recent times. When our class heard you were coming to address us, a group of us hoped you would talk about the problems in the operating budget. Yet, the majority of your comments concerned the greatness of the recent capital projects.

You spoke at great length about how the legislature has finally renewed its commitment to renovating the campus infrastructure through UConn 2000. You mentioned 20 years ago, the state failed to live up to its duties concerning the capital budget. However, you did not mention how the state is letting the operating budget of current times fall into greater disrepair than any buildings in the past.

Most students at this university are not looking to be told how great the infrastructure on the campus is; we see it all. Most students want some reassurance the operating budget will be fixed before their career at UConn is over.

Students should know millions of dollars will be cut from the operating budget in the coming year. Students must be told the university only plans to re-hire approximately 60 to 70 percent of the nearly 100 faculty members who took early retirement. Students need to know why tuition has been raised consistently.

More importantly, students want to hear what UConn is doing to remedy the huge problems of the operating budget. If anything, students want to know what the administration is doing to prevent class sizes from skyrocketing and what is being done to ensure students can graduate in four years not locked out of the classes they need.

While the legislature is experiencing huge budget shortfalls and economically hard times, UConn can do a multitude of things, including keeping the pressure on elected officials concerning the operating budget. The university cannot sit idly, expecting the legislature will give us more money in the future since they cut past budgets. Nor can the University rely on deferred maintenance.

President Austin, you deserve to be commended for your efforts on securing "Twenty First Century UConn." The student body can only hope the administration makes the same commitment to improve the operating budget.

You acknowledged UConn must continue to improve the quality of the applications it receives for admission. The power of the university to attract the best and the brightest students comes through the quality of its academic program, not the grandeur of its buildings.

This university is blessed to have amazing faculty who perform well, even in light of the most tenuous budgetary constraints. Nevertheless, as you are well aware, college rankings are based extensively on data such as the faculty to student ratio, which are greatly impacted by the operating budget.

Many large public institutions are suffering budget crunches across the country. Thankfully, Connecticut has not fared as badly as many other states. Still, students hope you will not forget which part of the budget is most important to us - the operating budget.

Hopefully, you will continue to meet with students over the remainder of the semester. When you do, please take the time to talk about the operating budget. It needs improving and many students have good and creative ideas, which might be helpful to think about.

It is evident you wish to help students and to solicit their advice when you have the chance. Also clear from your remarks is you identify with student interests, such as acknowledging the inferior quality of off-campus housing and criticizing the unsuccessful construction projects.

As you said, you cannot make everything you want a reality. By talking to students about some of the operating budget problems that are very real to them, you have the power to reduce their fears.

UConn is about academics and not buildings, so let us be willing to talk about the operating budget and its problems-not just the side of the budget that makes us look good. Thanks for speaking to us. We truly appreciate it.