nal ~ev1e Fdda.y, Feb. 4, 1983
Budget crunch Schuler struggles against cuts by1Ud:wt W hile ld:iho s1ate legislators :i re flushing allocations down the pro, crbial drain, N IC President Barr)' Schuler rravcled to Boise l:ist week io ao :mempt to save a drowning NIC. Schuler said he p3nicularly wanted to secure a commi1ment 10 receive 1he SJ00.000 10 implement the planning stage of the library/ science building. (Sec related stOI)' on page S.) The preside111 said that if N IC rccci'"es any more cuts for fiscal year 1984. comparable to the cuts :i.lrc;idy implemented in this )car's budget. many of the vocational classes will ha,·e to be cul 3long "uh some acadenuc dassc~. a mo,e whu::h "ill force some m.rtructOI"\ out of work Schuler sraid that the second semester of school had not staned already. many pan-time mstructors would have (3Cfij cuu u, s.tluies NIC recel\CS b, far the lowc:~t percentage of state fundiog for education of any pubhc educ:uioo instllU· hon, according to Schuler. Schuler said tb11 to compound the problem funber. Idaho legislators ltave cut SlJS.000 from the current budget. The IC'adellllC and vocariolllll depanmcnts have been cut by 10.S pcrt'Cnt from the original budget of a linle o,er S2.I million to a.boot Sl.8 m1lhon. The C"Uts could ba,·e a dcvasuting effect on incoming IC students bct-ausc the budget for nen year will be ba.scd oo the Sl.8 million figure, accordlOA 10 Schuler. He said tbllt this ii. very uncomfonablt' bttausc I.be state an 2pparenlly CUI e\CD the 10... er lmOUOt·bated allonncnt a1 any ume. Schuler wd that there hu already been talk in the Legislature 10 innsfer :ill sutc building funds in th1!> yeM's budget 10 the m:unte1WJce and operations dcp:inmen1~. This "-ould eliminate JI.IC ) cb=s of n:1cm10g the SI00.000 1lrcad, alloc:ued for the libr..r:, proJect. Schuler in,eled to Boise last ... eu 10 3n attempt 10 recei\'c a firm commstment of these funds. The pro~ library and science building will co:st about SJ milhon and the mitial SI00,000 is nttded to imp~ment the design of the suuctt1re. He said that he '1iould lobby against
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All tHnmg o ut TblJi clo•Tt marionelle t. a creallon o( John and Pb) Ills \'anHom ,.·ho ga11! demOlllltrallons or puppt,l lbca1u and making pnppt,IS during Fe lh t'nllon '83. Sff page& 8, 9 and 10 for more pholos and Morles about F<'51h cnllon.
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the proposal 10 trans fer funds to bail out the sad shape of the maintenance and operations departments. Schuler said that it just does not ma ke g ood bus iness sense to cul spending on a business that is gro-.iog as fast as NIC. "It's Ukc cutting the baclc off of the f1151esr groW1Dg industry io the state," be said. " It's like any growing industry." Schuler said. " As it grows, expansions are made . more money is invested and the industr')' continues to gro-. and be a successful business ven ture. "Growing industries wo uld never think of culling budget s and h ave hopes of continued growth." The president said that North Idaho scem.s to always have this type of problem with the legislature. "It's the snme old thing;· Schuler said. " Out of sighi --o ut of mind." Through it all, Schuler said that he is very o pumistic about the future of NK. He said that there is legislation on the floor now that could effectively bail NIC out of its current problems. Be saJcl that It loob like the 2-cents sales tu increll.SC or some fonn of sales w increase wi11 probably be passe d and that higher educa tion would reap the benefits from this. He said that this, coupled with the fact that NlC students will probably see another tuition increase for the fall · of 1983, would put NIC out of trouble for some time. Schuler said that there are certain types of tu loopholes that are conent· ly bemg discussed by the legislature llat could produce " mega·bucks" for the Sl&tC budget. One of lbue tu loopholes is corporauon e1emp1io05 from paying saJn w on tools 11nd equipment used in the trade, Schuler uid. The president uid 1ha1 this and taXI.Dg services. such as anomey's a~d doctor'\ fees. would put the state in good shape and have a very posnivc efICC'I on higher education allocations. So far, the cuts alneedy made have not bun the coflege beyond repair. and no instructors have been laid off, though some par1, 1ime ins tructors h3\·e h3d their hoors cut. he noted .