FLAGSTAFF — Northern Arizona University recognizes the current fiscal condition of Arizona and understands that Gov. Ducey and the Legislature face difficult decisions in balancing the budget of our state, NAU President Rita Cheng reported in a media release on Friday, Jan. 16.
“The reduction proposed today by the governor will be challenging to manage as we remain committed to increasing the number of Arizonans who obtain a bachelor’s degree, creating new pathways for access to college and generating more research advances and inventions. Arizona’s universities contribute greatly to the Arizona economy, and now more than ever it is imperative that we double down on these efforts to advance Arizona’s economic comeback,” she said.
“NAU adopted far-reaching efficiency measures during the great recession when the universities shouldered a significant share of the budget reductions as state appropriations to NAU dropped by more than 36 percent at its lowest point. On a per-student basis, when state funding and tuition are combined, NAU is operating at about $1,500 less than in 2007-08.
“NAU students and their families have picked up a larger portion of the cost of a university education during this time.
“At the same time, NAU has begun reexamining every aspect of its operation to see how budgets can be trimmed even further. Reductions will not be easy as NAU has been fiscally conservative while implementing extensive cost-saving measures over the past seven years. Yet all options will be considered in addressing this reduction while we continue to emphasize maintaining a quality educational experience for our students.
“NAU’s commitment to students is unwavering. Even during the last state budget cuts NAU maintained the Pledge tuition program, guaranteeing a flat tuition rate for four-years for our undergraduate students. This is part of our commitment to a predictable cost of attending and graduating from NAU. Our message to Arizona high school students is that a university education is within reach—work hard, aim high and do not be deterred in meeting your goals. Arizona needs university graduates and our rhetoric and policies must support this goal.
“The Arizona Board of Regents, in collaboration with the universities, has proposed several legislative initiatives to allow increased operational flexibility in the entrepreneurial spirit endorsed by Gov. Ducey. We look forward to working with the Governor and the Legislature to redefine the relationship between the state and Arizona’s universities in a way that encourages growth, vitality and performance.
“NAU’s campus community will be engaging in a number of planning sessions to discuss critical priorities and necessary cuts. We will share these plans with policy makers as they are developed,” she said.
For more information, see:
Arizona Daily Sun — NAU facing $13.1 million budget cut
AZCentral — Governor unveils budget cuts, limits school suit costs