State cuts affect travel, equipment By Charles Gaylor Capitol Bureau Reporter The recession has carved its way deeper into Oklahoma, forcing Gov. George Nigh to order a 5.5 percent acrossthe-board spending cut for all state agencies. Nigh also placed a freeze on state hiring last month. The spending cuts include CSU's budget, along with the other state colleges and universities. The spending cuts are expected to carry over into 1983 by many lawmakers. According to CSU President Bill Lillard, the university receives approximately 85 percent of its funding from the state. The other 15 percent comes from tuition and fees. "We are under the same obligation as the other state agencies to reduce our expenditures for the next three months," said Lillard. Lillard said the cuts will hurt CSU, but there is no danger that salaries of the university employees will be cut. The cuts will effect equipment, supplies and travel by faculty members, he said. However, there has been no travel freeze as of yet. "We have asked department heads and the deans of the various schools to carefully scrutinize each travel request," said Lillard. Furniture, automobiles and possibly equipment requests made by individual faculty members could be affected by the cuts, he said. Also, the equipment requests which CSU submitted to the Board of Regents of Oklahoma Colleges may be slowed down.
"There is no need to panic," said Lillard. "We are very financially sound. We always plan to finish the year with a surplus anyway." Lillard said he expects construction of the Life Science Building to go as scheduled. This building will house the nursing and funeral science departments. The hiring and spending cuts were spawned by' the decline in the growth rate in the state's revenue. Only those agencies who receive their money from the earmarking of tax money, like the Department of Human Services (DHS) is exempt from the mandate. The DHS obtains its operating funds from a percentage of the sales taxes collected by the state as alloted by state law. "We're taking the appropriate steps to see that the constitutional prohibiton against deficit financing is adhered to," Nigh said in early November, noting that if spending for the month of November had continued at the amounts originally slated for, the state would have ended up some $8 million in the hole. Though actual total collections in the general revenue coffers are up over last year, they are nearly $8 million less than forecast when budgets were approved earlier this year. Now, however, things are looking even darker for the state treasury. Budget forecasters are now predicting that there will be little or no money left at the end of the fiscal
Regents of Oklahoma Colleges, said that as of Dec. 1, he had not heard if the cutbacks would be ordered for December. He pointed out that the cutbacks affected the operating budgets of the schools appropriated for the 1982-83 fiscal year. Allen added that appropriated money was paid each month in equal installments and that the various colleges had submitted revised budget requests for November.
year, which is June 1983. Dr. Keith Allen, executive secretary for the Board of
"I have heard of no recommendation to increase fees from any of our institutions," Allen said.
Currently, the schools had not done so for December, said Allen. Not included in the budget restrictions is money allocated for capital improvements. Capital improvements include such things as new building costs and renovation costs for existing buildings. "The capital improvement money was funded last July and is separate from the operating funds," he said. Student fees are not expected to go up, Allen said, as a result of the money problems. "Fees were increased for the fall of 1982 and the spring of 1983," Allen said, "in accordance with legislation passed in 1972." This money is already being collected and is not in jeopardy. Any new fee increases would require new legislation, he said.
TgE ■ITIS7CAL December 2, 1982
Central State University, Edmond, Oklahoma
Vol. 81, No. 24
Lillard suggests language requirement for degrees By Mike Sherman Assistant Editor A proposal which would require CSU students to take at least an introductory course in a foreign language has been submitted to the academic council by President Bill Lillard. CSU has in the past offered classes in Spanish, French, German and Latin . However, Latin has not been offered this fall or spring. In addition, Lillard recommended that Mandrin, the official tongue of the People's Republic of China, be added to the curriculum. Mandrin is also the most commonly spoken dialect on mainland China. "With a basic course in Chinese," said Lillard, "a degree at CSU would be just that much more attractive. Students would also get a chance to learn Chinese customs and traditions. "We are not asking them to become a scholar or linguist in a introductory course. But they would be able to exchange
greetings, recognize phrases and read signs." Lillard, who has recently returned from his trip to Taiwan, said his excursion did not influence his decision on the foreign language issue. The increased trade between Oklahoma and Taiwan in the form of wheat shipments and other goods convinced him of the university's need to institute a course in Mandrin, said Lillard. He added that many of CSU's graduates don't remain in Oklahoma. "Some students move to one of the coasts where they are sure to encounter people of different nationalities and languages," he said. "I just think it's something we need to explore rather than sit back with the same degree requirements," he said. "Times and conditions change. "In this day of rapid transportation and communication, to be educated you (students) need to continued to page 3
In this issue... Artist display works...page 3 Prof searches for Noah's Ark...page 5 Children's Christmas party...page 6 Wreslers ready for title defense...page 7 Harriers take 14th at nationals...page 8
Vista photo by Theresa Gabrish
Joe McCourry, right, helps Stephanie McHone, left, unwrap her "goodie" from Santa Thursday afternoon at the annual President's Club Christmas Party for Underpriviledged Children. Several Edmond area children, sponsored by the different organizations on campus, attended the party. See related story and photos on page 6.
McCourry takes president office By Mike Sherman Assistant Editor Joe McCourry defeated Derek Haney in the Student Senate President run-off election Wednesday, receiving 55 percent of the vote. McCourry tallied 227 votes to 189 for Haney. Students voted throughout the day Wednesday. Polls closed at 8 p.m. The run-off became necessary because neither of the candidates captured 50 percent of the vote in the Nov. 17 election. In that election, McCourry received 218 votes, Haney 196 and a third candidate, John Roper 76. McCourry will assume his duties as president
following the winter break. He takes over for outgoing President Tim Reese. Reese served as president for a year before deciding not to run for another term. McCourry's past record includes a year and a half spent as student senator. He was the chairman of the Commuter Affairs Committee, a delegate to the Oklahoma Intercollegiate Legislature during its last three sessions. McCourry will be inaugurated into office Monday at 12:40 p.m. in the Council Room on the third floor of University Center. The ceremony will mark the first time a Student Senate president has been sworn into office in public.