The economic forecast in the Southeast is foggy and uncertain with a chance of additional budget reductions. 

Though the millions of dollars in budget cuts to the University System of Georgia are only “a proposal,” many students and faculty are unsure of what the future will bring. According to John Millsaps, spokesman for the Board of Regents, other states in the nation are facing the same reality.

“Every state is having budget difficulties,” Millsaps said. “The situation is grim, and states are looking at major reductions of state funding for higher education.” 

The University System of Georgia has been dealing with about $633 million in reductions to date, including a recently projected $300 million in additional cuts. 

However, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported Gov. Sonny Perdue’s revised budget plan released Thursday would lessen the $300 million additional reduction to $113 million. 

The legislature will work with these numbers and see what sort of state budget it can adopt. Millsaps said once that budget is finalized, the Board of Regents can only then start seriously discussing the amount of budget cuts the University System will experience. 

“Remember that no one has actually given us that cut,” Millsaps said. “Once the Regents actually have a final budget, they’ll be able to have more of a balanced and blended approach with how much money we’ll be able to work with.” 

Regardless of whether  budget reductions are finalized, students from various institutions in Georgia will march to the state capitol today to protest.

“One of the things that higher education is supposed to be about is to encourage discussion and debate,” Millsaps said. “So we would certainly rather see students active and engaged in participating in the process than not.”

Similar rallies have occurred in Alabama. According to Kellee Reinhart, spokeswoman for the Chancellor of the University of Alabama System and the Board of Trustees, legislators are hearing loud concerns.

March 4 was “Higher Education Day,” and about 2,500 students across the state marched on the capitol building in Montgomery to ask that higher education be treated fairly in this year’s budget. 

Reinhart said the Trustees expect another shortfall this year.

“In the last 18 months, just for our three campuses alone, we’ve been cut about $170 million,” said Reinhart, whose system governs the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, The University of Alabama in Birmingham and The University of Alabama in Huntsville. “On the campuses of Birmingham and Huntsville, we’ve experienced layoffs, larger class sizes and just a variety of cutbacks.”

Last year, all three of the campuses experienced approximately a 6 to 8 percent tuition increase.

“We certainly anticipate that will be another necessary reality for next year,” Reinhart said.

The Board of Trustees will not consider tuition increases until June, so until then, Reinhart said there is only one thing students and faculty can do — speak up. 

“I think that by explaining the value of a college education and the return on investment that taxpayers get by funding our universities, we have the best possible chance to let our voices be heard,” she said. 

The University System of Florida came out with a flat budget last year and did not face budget cuts because students pushed for a 15 percent tuition increase.  

“If it hadn’t been for the students, we would not have come out flat,” said Bill Edmonds, director of communications for the Florida Board of Governors. “They deserve tremendous credit for that.” 

Florida does not have any proposed cuts at this time, but the legislation is still in the very preliminary stages. However, $1 billion to $3 billion of budget reductions are expected in the upcoming year. Edmonds said he considered last year a victory, and because retail sales are up, the state may be slowly recovering. 

“We’re trying to be hopeful without being ridiculously naïve,” Edmonds said. “Given what happened last year, we do have reason for hope, and the news on retail sales is certainly good.” 

Edmonds said he is concerned with what the budget prospects for this year are, but he emphasized that laying off professors should be a last resort. 

After The University System of Tennessee faced a $66 million reduction in 2010, tuition increased on all of the campuses and class sizes became larger, so faculty were asked to take on more of a teaching load. However, the first cuts did not come from immediate layoffs.

“One of the first cuts was a five percent pay cut for the president and his vice presidents,” said Elizabeth Davis, media relations coordinator for the System. “In addition, the vice presidents and president turned in their University cars.” 

But under the University’s budget cut proposal, 1,418 instructors could lose their jobs 

“We understand this is causing angst and anxiety among a lot of groups, and certainly all of us empathize and sympathize with those concerns,” Millsaps said. “But everyone needs to remember that it’s not actually a cut until we find out what the budget will be. The Regents can then respond with a system that tries to preserve the academic mission and programs that we have in place.”