State Budget Reductions to Cost Tech Millions by Corbin Pon News Editor for the Year
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Friday, August 29, 2008 • Volume 94, Issue 6 • nique.net Bottoms up! Festival, brews give local connection to echnique German culture .419 TThe South’s Liveliest College Newspaper State budget reductions to cost Tech millions By Corbin Pon News Editor for the year. The mandated cut with a reduction of more than in state funding will only affects $17 million in the 2009 bud- POTENTIAL BUDGET REDUctIONS On August 22, Interim Pres- that money provided to Tech get if the cut remains at six per- ident Gary Schuster sent out a by the state, leaving 75 percent cent. If the worst-case scenario Georgia is facing a tax revenue shortfall, which means Tech needs campus wide bulletin stating of the budget unaffected by the plays out, then a 10 percent to expect at least a six percent cut in state funding, and a worst- that because of a state of Geor- tax revenue shortfall. budget cut will see almost $29 case scenario cut of 10 percent (or a loss of $28.9 million). Tech gia tax revenue shortfall, all “We’ve been told… to ex- million being removed for the receives 25 percent of its funding from the state, which amounts to state agencies, including public pect at least a six percent cut 2009 fiscal year. nearly $290 million. schools like Tech that report to from Tech’s budget. But as of Students will be directly the Georgia Board of Regents, right now, the Board of Regents impacted by a cut to the more are being required to control has required no actual percent- than $263 million of state their spending for the 2009 fis- age cut,” said Jim Kirk, Direc- funding that is spent on Resi- Recipients of State Funding 6% 8% 10% cal year. This means that Tech tor of the Budget Planning and dent Instruction. This money will experience a minimum six Administration Office. is spent on academic and edu- Resident Instruction (teaching) $15,801,824 $21,069,099 $26,336,374 percent cut in state funding, “The Board of Regents cational purposes and makes GTRI (research) $483,174 $644,232 $805,290 with a 10 percent funding cut doesn’t know right now, be- up the majority of the fund- being the worst-case scenario. cause it is waiting on informa- ing that Tech receives from the Economic development $1,073,504 $1,431,339 $1,789,174 For the 2009 fiscal year, tion from the governor’s office. state. which spans from July 2008 to And the schools don’t know In a response to the coming $23,144,670 $28,930,837 Total $17,358,502 June 2009, Tech receives almost anything because they are wait- budget shortfall, a memo sent $290 million in state funding. ing on the Board of Regents.” out by Steven Swant, Execu- This accounts for around 25 However, this still means Source: Georgia Tech Budget Planning & Administration Office percent of Tech’s total budget that Tech will still have to deal See Budget, page 6 Library construction results in Stingerette service extension By Ben Keyserling / Student Publications By Sierra Schmidt / Student Publications The operating time of the Stingerette has Library parking lot is fenced off before start of been extended to run from 2a.m. to 7a.m. construction on the Clough Learning Center. By Kaitlin Goodrich Staff Writer the loop to be closed to every- will be accepted at 6:30am. thing but construction traffic. “The Stingerette may be a Many Tech students were This would remove addi- less than perfect solution, since surprised to find the library tional parking spaces from the you have to call it and then parking lot fenced off when area surrounding the library, wait possibly a long time for they arrived on campus this se- limit handicap access and push its arrival, but it is a start,” Fox mester. The lot has been closed Stingerette pick ups farther said. to prepare for the construc- from the library. This has the The Stingerette is a shuttle tion of the Clough Learning potential to present an unsafe service that runs to provide Center, which will replace the situation. safe transportation to Tech stu- parking lot. “It’s a security issue,” said dents, faculty and staff if they For students who wish to Bob Fox, Associate Director for require a ride after-hours. park near the library, they are Public and Administrative Ser- It is intended to be only left with the option of park- vices of the Library, about the used when no other suitable ing in the limited spaces along concerns raised over the safety transportation is available. It the Research Drive behind the of student leaving the library travels to residences, academic library. late at night. buildings and Tech facilities They can also choose to “Most [library] traffic is be- that are in the campus bound- park in lots slightly farther tween 10pm and 2am … so it aries. away from the library, such as is important to have accessible In the long run though, the parking lot under the Klaus transportation for students to Parking is considering rerout- Advanced Computing Build- feel that they are safe coming ing the Stinger routes closer to ing or at the Student Center and going from the library no the library and including un- Parking Deck. matter what hour.” derground parking in the plans In the near future, parking One way Parking has re- for the new Clough Learning along Research Drive may also sponded to concerns of late Center to allow more trans- not be an option for student night travel to and from the portation opportunities to the commuting to Tech with a car. library is by extending the Stin- library. Staring in October, renova- gerette’s operating hours from However, plans have not tions on the Hinman Research 2am until 7am. The last calls Building will most likely cause to request a Stingerette pickup See Library, page 9 “The Stingerette may be a less than perfect solution, since you have to call By Kevin Bandy / Student Publications it and then wait possibly a long time for its arrival, but it is a start.” The fenced-off parking lot next to the library strains on-campus parking — Bob Fox, Associate Director for Public and Administrative Services of the Library options for students who need late night transportation from the library. 2 • Friday, August 29, 2008 • Technique NEWS Technique Online Voice your opinion! Last issue’s question received 39 responses. ‘Nique launches outreach initiative By Arcadiy Kantor How many games will the football team win this year? Outreach Editor drastic need of improvement. week you can fi nd ‘Nique staff on Putting the editors’ email ad- Skiles Walkway recording video 9-12 games: 23% If you look through this week’s dresses in the headers, then, is the for Buzz around Campus, asking 0 games: 2.7% Technique you may notice that we fi rst step for us to strengthen our students’ opinions on a variety of have overhauled our section head- connection with the student body. issues. Th ese videos will be posted ers. We hope you like the changes; We hope that our readers use them online together with the regular we have tried to make them both to submit story ideas, comment on paper. Along with voicing their more visually appealing and better the content of our paper or sim- opinion on diff erent questions, organized. However, the most im- ply share their feelings and opin- students will be able to give us portant feature of the new headers ions about what’s going on around feedback and discuss the newspa- heralds a major new initiative for campus. per with members of our staff . the ‘Nique: we now have section Th is is only the fi rst step in our Finally, we have created a new editors’ names and email addresses eff ort to become more accessible position to coordinate all of these listed at the very top of the page. to the student body, however. For activities. As the Outreach Editor, Over the past years the Tech- those of our readers who are fa- I am responsible for improving nique has grown increasingly iso- miliar with Twitter (www.twitter. our on-campus visibility and ac- lated from the students whose com), the Technique now has an cessibility. If you have any sugges- voice we should represent. Of- account. You can follow our up- tions for how the newspaper can tentimes we have found ourselves dates at twitter.com/the_nique to become more open and responsive 5-8 games: 53.8% 1-4 games: 20.5% hearing about important stories be informed about what is going to your concerns, you can contact belatedly, through secondary on around campus, and you can me at [email protected]. Th is week’s question: sources like SGA or Communica- easily communicate with our staff I hope this initiative helps Will you use the extended Stingerette service times? tions and Marketing. Th e ‘Nique using this new medium. In the fu- move the Technique back toward strives to be the premier source of ture, we plan to integrate our Twit- its rightful place: as the voice of Tell us at www.nique.net on-campus news, and as such we ter updates into our website. the student body and the servant fi nd the current state of aff airs in Furthermore, starting next of its interests. GreekBy Corbin Pon Rush Week experiences increase in participation News Editor “We think that [the numbers troubles in the economy.