Anticipated cuts in state appropriations provided to the three major Arizona universities have caused leaders to look at possible ways to reduce the budget.

Due to the many problems with the state’s economy, the government will soon announce the extent of the cuts in funding Arizona’s universities. State funding accounts for $161 million, or 40 percent, of NAU’s budget. In response to the anticipated cuts, President John D. Haeger met with many campus leaders on Saturday to discuss options as to how to reduce spending and use resources more efficiently.

Haeger said he wants everybody involved in determining the best direction for the university.

“(The purpose is) to involve the leadership from the faculty, staff and administration in discussion and decisions,” Haeger said. “(The goal is to create) an understanding of how serious the nation’s and state’s budget situation really is, but also how the university can weather the storm. And to maintain flexibility and to protect people: our greatest resource.”

Daniel Kain, dean of the College of Education, said the discussions held at the meeting show a dedication to solving these problems.

“I was impressed with the creative ideas generated on Saturday,” Kain said. “It seems people have recognized that we are in a serious situation.”

Kain agreed it is important for everybody to come together at this time.

“One of the most important actions is for the entire university community — faculty, staff and students — to come together in order to generate creative solutions,” Kain said. “We are all faced with the budget difficulties and the least productive line of action is for one group to pass along the cuts to another or generate suspicions.”

However, Kain said it is the role of the deans to lead in making fiscal decisions.

“Deans have the primary responsibility for fiscal matters and resources in the colleges,” Kain said. “My job is to continue to work to secure the resources needed for the college to do its important work.”

Provost Liz Grobsmith said no decisions have been made yet.

“The university is really uncertain about what our budget will be,” Grobsmith said. “So we’re just preparing ourselves.”

Grobsmith said when determining what to cut, laying off faculty or cutting existing programs will be the absolute last resort.

“We’re not talking about taking staff that are currently teaching and moving them out of the classroom,” Grobsmith said. “We don’t feel that’s going to be beneficial to us. What we’re trying to do is use our resources efficiently and be economical.”

Kain said the process of cutting the budget will not be easy for his or any other school.

“Like many units, we already run on a tight budget, so no cut can be painless,” Kain said. “We will work hard to avoid the kinds of cuts that damage student opportunities or the jobs of current employees.”

A memo released to leaders by the Office of the Provost listed 10 possible ways a department can use their resources more efficiently. The memo said “no unit may be exempt from these recommendations.” These possibilities include distributing staff in a way to give each more students, reorganizing the departments within a school and determining whether low-enrolled classes should be allowed to stay.

Grobsmith said the university is looking at options for how to handle graduation requirements.

“If the course is necessary for graduation this year, we’re going to offer it,” Grobsmith said. “Starting next year, we won’t have classes that are low-enrolled. We might offer it once a year instead of twice, and students will be informed as to when that course will be offered.”

Kain agreed courses must be closely looked at to determine how to use them as efficiently as possible.

“Our first efforts will be in the area of course scheduling,” Kain said. “If we can offer fewer sections, thereby pulling together the student enrollment, we can reduce the cost of instruction.”

Public Affairs Director Lisa Nelson said some of the changes can already be seen. For instance, for the past few months President Haeger has been looking at open positions and determining whether or not they should be filled. The search for a new chief facilities officer and a new vice president of administration and finance has been canceled.

“Every position that becomes open must be reviewed and justified to be filled,” Nelson said. “And that’s not just academic areas, but all areas. It’s to look very critically at how we do business.”

Nelson said the cuts in state funding are part of the reason why tuition is being raised next year.

“It’s always difficult because our two main sources of funding are state appropriations and tuition,” Nelson said. “So (Haeger) came up with a moderated tuition increase. But he’s adamant about keeping an education as accessible and affordable as possible.”

Nelson said neither quality of education nor the cost of that education will be placed as a higher priority.

“The president was carefully balancing the quality students expect from NAU and the associated cost,” Nelson said. “So when he looks at where to go for savings and cuts, he is committed to preserving the quality of education at NAU.”

Grobsmith said she is optimistic that NAU will be able to get through this problem.

“I think we’ll be a more efficiently-run university,” Grobsmith said. “And I think we’ll still maintain the programs we value and students want. I think it will all work out.”

President Haeger will hold a public meeting to discuss the cuts on Dec. 1.