Surviving the Storm at UNR
Posted by admin in Uncategorized on October 7, 2009
The University of Nevada continues to feel the effects of the budget cuts into the 2009 fall semester, but the students and facility continue to find ways of surviving the money crunch. The effects are being felt in core programs, athletic teams and most of all the students that choose to attend UNR because it’s more cost effective for their personal budgets. Sacrifices have been made across campus and particular programs have had to think outside the box in terms of acquiring the money they need to keep themselves going through budget cuts.
Students have been seeing increases in tuition, classroom sizes and changes to athletic programs as a result of the budgets cuts. Teachers and facility have been reduced to tenured professors, and department heads have been forced to find alternate ways to pay for salaries.
Dr. Dan Taylor, Interim Chair and Associate Professor of the Department of Mining Engineering, said they have received help from the mining companies with claims in Nevada. The help has come after the program lost 50% of the budget a year and half ago.
“Because we had an industry that was willing to stand up,” Dr. Taylor said, and “agree to tax themselves…money helping pay professors’ salaries.”
Dr. Dan Taylor, Associate Professor of the Department of Mining Engineering
Mining claims range up into the 200,000 and are taking a tax for the effective amount to compensate for the Department of Mining Engineering budget cut. The self imposed tax was to ensure the future for the mining industry that is a world renowned program at UNR.
Not all programs at UNR have been fortunate, and many of the athletic programs are seeing the biggest cuts in their budgets. The ski school is also facing almost a 50% cut to their budget of approximately $225,000.
Head Alpine Coach Evan Weiss says that the alumni are a big reason why they were able to continue the program this season. “It’s their legacy,” said Weiss when discussing how the alumni have been adding more support during the budget cuts.
Evan Weiss, Head Alpine Coach
“The community has been helping us,” said Weiss, “athletes shouldn’t see a change this year. Our challenge is the following year.”
Students have been seeing the budget cuts in many different ways. Most of the lower level classes have been enlarged due to the lack of part-time teachers. “Classes have definitely gotten larger,” said Karl Geisler, a teaching assistant for the economics department.
One solution to this problem is having smaller study groups that get together to help answer questions for the classes. “It takes some creative thinking, but we’re getting there,” said Geisler.
Break out sessions are a great way of getting to know your fellow classmates while also being able to find answers to homework problems. The groups aim to provide students with a more intimate learning experience.
Teaching assistants, or TA, have been facing larger work loads as well as a result of budgets cuts. The numbers of TAs have lowered since last semester, and work loads have increased.
“We’re short on TAs, down to five total for the economics department,” said Trevor Wojcik, a teaching assistant for the economics department. Last semester the amounts of TAs in the economics department were nearly double. “They have to use the people they’ve got more and more,” said Wojcik.
Trevor Wojcik, teaching assistant for the economics department
Tuition increases have been effecting students’ options and choices for credit hours, and hours being put into part-time and full-time jobs. “I’m thinking about college loans or part time job,” said George Crews, a junior at UNR.
Crews attends UNR under the “Good Neighbor” program which reduces non-resident tuition for certain qualifying counties. “Prices are a big reason for coming to the school,” said Crews about his option to attend schools in his home state of California. As prices of tuition increase many students will be rethinking their options and choice to attend UNR.
