How budget cuts may affect your student

UC Davis is weathering unprecedented budget shortfalls. In 2008-09, the campus braved a $39 million budget deficit. This academic year's shortfall is nearly triple, at $113 million -- or almost 20 percent of the campus's general fund budget of $567.6 million.

Students and their families are already bracing for proposed fee increases. UC Davis has implemented faculty and staff furloughs, streamlined some areas by reorganizing units, canceled or deferred projects and left some faculty vacancies unfilled.

What do all these changes mean for UC Davis students? And how can parents help their students cope?

Pat Turner, vice provost for undergraduate studies, stressed that as much as possible, "we're trying to effect change that will be invisible to students." But she and other campus officials know that students will feel the effects.

Closures and furloughs

While faculty members will not be taking furlough days on teaching days, they and other employees -- including those who handle services and programs for students -- will be taking furlough days. The campus will be closed for 11 days that will be used as furlough days by most employees: Dec. 18 through Jan. 3 (including four university-paid holidays), March 24 and 25, and June 14 and 15.

This will mean reduced hours in some department offices. Jim McClain, undergraduate associate dean for the College of Letters and Sciences, said the campus closures -- scheduled between the academic quarters to mitigate the effect on teaching -- may nonetheless make processing of students' grades and other documents more difficult and could lead to delays in certain campus functions.

Turner offered this advice for students: "Hours are being shortened, so as soon as students know they need a signature from a dean's office, they need to be prompt about it. Don't wait until the last minute."

Reduced hours and wait times

Christine McUmber, principal analyst in Administrative and Resource Management, said Student Affairs is looking at all services on campus to try to coordinate and consolidate hours. While access time may be reduced in the counseling or cross-cultural centers, for example, there will be a consistent schedule.

Be prepared for longer wait times at Student Health Services and higher prices at concession outlets like the bookstore, McUmber warned. Memorial Union hours will be cut, as will times offered for placement tests.

"That whole in-person contact is going to be reduced in terms of availability to students," McUmber said.

Classes

Turner said most classes are running at capacity. Those most affected will be the ones with fewer than 100 students. Sections have been combined, and some classes that enrolled 50 students might have 75 now.

Under-enrolled classes and those not required for graduation are the classes most likely to be eliminated. That approach affects the least number of students.

However, McClain said, "The loss of sections has been spread across all disciplines of the college."

The University Writing Program is one notable example where the impacts are significant, at least for the winter and spring quarters, he said. The program offers required composition courses. Several sections have been cut, but no subjects have been eliminated.

Diane Ullman, undergraduate associate dean for the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, offered more examples. She said the Career Discovery Group Program, which helps students explore career paths, shrank by two sections (from 240 students to 200) and at least one other course in the Science and Society Program will not be offered.

Flexibility important

Because of all these changes, Turner urges students to act quickly if they want to drop a course, as a courtesy to those on the waiting list.

Turner and McClain also recommend that students be flexible with their preferred class hours and days. Parents should tell their students to be prepared to take classes at 8 a.m. or on Friday afternoons.

"We're trying to emphasize that our No. 1 concern is helping students graduate in good time," Turner said.

Fee increases and financial aid

Students and their families may also have fee increases hit their wallets soon. The University of California Board of Regents will consider at its November meeting a proposed mid-year increase of $585 and an additional increase of $1,344 for 2010-11.

However, Katy Maloney, interim director of the UC Davis Financial Aid Office, said that there is additional assistance to help students and their families pay for college. As fees go up, it triggers more financial aid. This year, Pell grants grew by approximately $600 per student. Cal grants and the UC Student Aid/grant Program also increased for needy students.

Under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, more parents and students will qualify over the next two years for a tax credit to pay for college expenses. Modifying the existing Hope Credit for tax years 2009 and 2010, the American Opportunity Credit will be available to a broader range of taxpayers, add required course materials to the list of qualifying expenses; and allow the credit to be claimed for four years instead of two. The maximum annual credit is $2,500 per student.

For more budget news, visit the campus’s budget Web site.