TN TAX BATTLE: BUDGET CUTS COULD SLASH STCC FACULTY, TELLS 24 TEACHERS PREPARE WORST (WHINE ALERT)

Budget cuts could slash STCC faculty College tells 24 teachers to prepare for the worst

Threatened cuts in the state's higher education budget could cost two dozen teachers their jobs at Southwest Tennessee Community College.

The college has notified them they will lose their jobs on June 30 if its budget is cut and the governing Board of Regents does not allow a 15 percent tuition increase.

The teachers work on year-to-year contracts without the job security provided by tenure.

The dismissals would abruptly end two of the most popular programs in the vocational/technical aspect of the school's Macon Cove campus - automotive technology and electrical technology engineering.

Every teacher in those departments works on an annual contract and received the notification.

Roughly 62 students seeking degrees in those programs are in limbo about whether they'll be able to finish the two-year programs and earn degrees.

"(The proposed cuts are) devastating for the morale and the enormous potential we have as an institution," Southwest president Nate Essex said Thursday.

The possible cuts are the latest example of the drastic steps some colleges and universities may take to survive anticipated austere cuts in higher education funding.

The General Assembly, which has been through a series of budget scenarios, is now considering a budget that would cut an estimated $56.1 million from the base budgets of Regents schools, which include the University of Memphis.

"We didn't want to have to do this," Essex said. "But by legal rules and regulations we had an obligation to let these professors know by April 1 that we will not be renewing their contracts with the budget looking the way it is."

"I'm still in shock," said Maxwell Cutler, an associate professor who's taught in the computer engineering technology department since 1981. He received a letter Saturday.

"Things are in a real state of flux right now," he said. "We don't know what will really happen."

Electrical technology professors teach a range of courses from computer and TV repair to how to build and program computer chips.

"With all the teachers gone, who's going to teach us?" said Thomas Beasley, a 26-year-old automotive student. "I'm angry. I have invested a year of my time, paid tuition, and we have to buy our own tools. I've spent $5,000 on tools. I have got to get my degree."

Essex said he will meet with Southwest's vice presidents today to discuss ways to preserve the programs.

"We have a moral and ethical obligation to see these students through," Essex said. "We're going to do everything we can to save programs."

According to the most recent Regents analysis of the proposed budget, Southwest stands to lose $3.5 million in state appropriations.

That's a 10 percent cut for the school, which employs 287 faculty and has a $35 million budget, Essex said. Along with the staff cuts, the school is also freezing hiring and deferring maintenance and upgrades to software, technology and other resources at the school. The school also plans to increase class size and reduce the number of classes offered.

The University of Memphis could lose $12.4 million, but in a joint statement, president Shirley Raines and provost Ralph Faudree said they would not reduce faculty, opting for hiring freezes and deferring maintenance instead.

"The mission of The University of Memphis is education, and without sufficient faculty, that mission cannot be accomplished," Raines said.

24 TEACHERS TO TEACH 62 STUDENTS THAT'S 2.6 PER STUDENT.

Maybe if the U of M eliminated the non essential courses of: How to Decorate Easter Eggs, How to Wrap Christmas Presents, How to decorate your house for Christmas, Make up for the mature, modeling, ornamental grasses, lazy gardner, get organized for the holidays, cut clutter, manage your kids, kayaking, Christmas cookie magic for families, home made greeting cards & gift wrap, crocheting for Christmas, murder under the misletoe, deck the halls for Christmas, sailing 1 & 2, fly fishing, golf 1 & 2, Mah jong, bridge, fencing, tennis 1 & 2, home made baby food, cooking for singles, joy of soy, Christmas candy making, personalized Christmas tree decorations, it would have plenty of money for the profs pay without increases from the State or tuition hikes.

They MIGHT actually have money to teach hard core academnics such as Pre-Med courses, engineering courses, law courses, English, advanced math, physics, etc.

These seats of higher ed have become a joke.

I kid you not these are actual Continuing Ed courses offered by the U of Memphis.

No budget progress likely before May, Naifeh says By Rebecca Ferrar, News-Sentinel Nashville bureau April 5, 2002

NASHVILLE - House Speaker Jimmy Naifeh said Thursday he doesn't expect action to deal with the budget crisis before early May, setting the stage for another arduous summer legislative session.

"We hope to be able to get something passed and be able to adjourn in May,'' Naifeh said. "I'm saying we hope to be able to do this.''

Last week, Naifeh said he expected the House to move on a tax plan as early as next Monday. But the impasse between the House and Senate on a solution to the budget shortfall has not eased, and the stalemate has moved into its fourth year.

House leaders, during their weekly press briefing, said they want to review figures on revenue collections when they are reported in late April before deciding what tax plan they favor.

The state faces a $350 million budget shortfall this fiscal year and an estimated $1.2 billion shortfall in the year starting July 1.

Later Thursday, Gov. Don Sundquist said waiting longer for a plan doesn't help solve the state's problems.

Sundquist is in the last of his eight years as governor and the leading candidates to succeed him have different budget approaches.

Former Nashville Mayor Phil Bredesen, a Democrat, says he can manage_his way out of the budget mess while U.S. Rep. Van Hilleary, R-Spring City, believes cutting TennCare by $350 million to $400 million will work.

"It gets us pretty darn close," Hilleary said this week during a campaign stop in Blountville. If the TennCare cuts aren't enough, there are other options, he said.

"We'll find some kind of revenue source that will not put us at a competitive disadvantage with other neighboring states," he said.

When asked to be more specific, he said he shouldn't be questioned on such matters. "It should be enough that a Republican running for governor tells you that will happen," Hilleary said.

Last year, legislators met through mid-July, then returned in August to override the governor's veto of the budget. Legislative leaders continued to meet periodically last fall and when the session began in January without breaking the stalemate.

"I would hope we can solve this problem before I leave office,'' Sundquist said. "If not, it may be years before we can do it.''

Sundquist favors a state income tax but also has proposed plans centered on business taxes and broadening the base of the sales tax.

Sundquist said the next governor would have a "miserable time'' if the problem is not solved by the time he takes office.

Despite the lack of agreement on the budget, Naifeh noted that some subcommittees are completing their work, as has the Senate Commerce Committee. This is a "good sign,'' he said, that the Senate is "ready to concentrate just on the budget situation. That is going to start picking up a lot more in the coming weeks.''

House Finance Committee Chairman Matt Kisber, D-Jackson, blamed part of the delay on legislative leadership.

"If the leadership could have come to consensus and come to the general membership with a proposal we heartily recommended, it would have been a whole different dynamic,'' Kisber said.

Naifeh said the only options left on the table are the sales tax, income tax and the Downsizing Ongoing Government Services, or DOGS, budget, which drastically cuts education, health care and other services and closes state parks. House leadership opposes the DOGS budget.

The Associated Press contributed to this report. Rebecca Ferrar may be reached at 615-242-7783 or rferrar@mindspring.com.

Demonstrators urge tax hike to support Sullivan schools

DELUDED, BRAINWASHED IDIOTS

By JOELLEN WEEDMAN

BLOUNTVILLE - Bob Pelletier's child has already graduated from the Sullivan County school system, but that doesn't mean he's not in favor of an increased property tax for schools.

"This is our future," he said.

Pelletier joined about 150 other people on the steps of the Sullivan County Courthouse Thursday night in a "peaceful demonstration" in favor of a 25 cent increase in the property tax rate for the school system, which is facing a $6 million to $8 million budget shortfall.

"Our Kids Are Worth A Quarter," "It's Time To Fund Schools" and "Make It Right" read signs being held up by parents, teachers and students as they chanted "A quarter for the kids."

The group then moved inside to fill the County Commission meeting room for a regular meeting of the Sullivan County Commission's Budget Committee.

School funding was not on the committee's agenda Thursday night.

"All three of Sullivan County's school systems are being severely hurt by a lack of sufficient funding," Steve Thompson, Sullivan South math teacher, told the committee at the beginning of the meeting. "We know that you hear from some citizens about not raising the tax rate. A few of them are here tonight as well, but we want you to know there are many taxpayers who do want their rate increased - if the additional money is appropriated for schools."

About a dozen people also showed up with signs calling for "No New Taxes."

Katie Witcher, a home-school student, said she was there in opposition to an increase in taxes.

"I don't want to see any more of parents' hard-earned money spent on government schools that are below average," she said. "Children should be in Christian schools or home-schooled."

Gary Melvin, chairman of the Libertarian Party of Sullivan County, said he thought the protest was mainly for teachers "here about making their Lexus payments."

But Sullivan County Education Association President Barbara Tilley said her organization sponsored the event to give Sullivan County residents a chance to let commissioners know they "support paying more for education."

Parents and teachers from Bristol and Kingsport city schools also attended.

Susan Lodal, president of the Dobyns-Bennett High School PTSA, said they recently voted to support a county property tax increase in the face of less certain state funding.

Budget Committee Chairman Eddie Williams said the committee is glad to "listen to whoever it is and whatever they say."

However, he said the county is facing the "most difficult budget year ever," and he hears from more people who do not want their taxes raised.

In other business, the Budget Committee:

•Voted to recommend the appropriation of $30,000 to the Election Commission to cover the cost of some 80,733 new voter identification cards due to changes in districting. Sullivan County Administrator of Elections Gena Frye said 83 percent of voters in Sullivan County had some kind of change in their voting precinct.

•Approved levying a mineral severance tax that officials predict will provide about $350,000 in additional funding to the county highway department.

•Accepted the donation of the Old Deery Inn, Rutledge House and the surrounding property.

Williams said the Budget Committee will call a meeting later in the month to begin work on the budget. The Sullivan County Board of Education will get its first look at the school system's proposed budget in a called work session at noon Friday.

No cuts in faculty, say STCC leaders Cost reductions will be elsewhere, memo states

By Ruma Banerji banerji@gomemphis.com

April 6, 2002

Administrators at Southwest Tennessee Community College decided Friday to abandon a contingency plan that would've laid off two dozen teachers because of anticipated steep cuts in higher education funding.

In a memo sent to all faculty and staff at the college, Southwest president Nate Essex wrote:

"The Vice Presidents and I met this morning to determine ways that additional cuts could be made in administrative personnel and deeper cuts in operational costs. This action has resulted in the college's ability to sustain its current academic programs thereby allowing us to retain all first-year tenure-track and term faculty."

But what spurred the sudden about-face on planned faculty cuts and which administrative personnel could be laid off under the new contingency plan remains unclear.

Calls to Provost Andrea Miller were not returned Friday and spokesman Elisa Marus said Essex was out of the office and unavailable for comment.

Even after reading the memo, professors who had been warned of a possible layoff remained wary about their future at the college.

"I've been here 20 years," said Dean Honadle, program chair of Southwest's telecommunications engineering technology program. "I'm prepared to be cautious until a new contract has been signed. But this memo is a good sign."

Officials informed 24 teachers on annual contract with the school that they would be out of work as of June 30 unless state appropriations to the school improve and the governing regents board approves a 15 percent tuition increase. Those 24 teachers do not have the protection tenure offers.

The faculty cuts would have ended two of the most popular programs in the school's vocational/technical side - automotive and electrical engineering technology - because all the professors in those programs were on annual contract.

The news of faculty cuts left roughly 62 students in automotive and electrical technology upset and nervous about how they would get degrees in programs that had no professors.

Southwest administrators began considering such extreme cuts after the Tennessee Board of Regents, which oversees six universities, including the University of Memphis, 13 two-year institutions and 26 technology centers, asked its schools to prepare contingency plans in case the General Assembly adopts the latest budget.

The latest budget proposes a $3.5 million cut for Southwest and a $12.4 million for the University of Memphis. U of M officials have said the proposed cuts would not affect faculty.

Essex called the proposed cuts devastating. But in his memo Friday, Essex assures that while funding cuts from the state possibly could grow deeper, those cuts "will not impact faculty."

- Ruma Banerji: (901) 529-2596

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