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Volume 86 Issue 8 broadsideonline.com Monday, 04.05 .10 Broadside George Mason University’s Student Newspaper Professors kiss furlough goodbye Financial woes softened temporarily by savings Kevin Loker C2M Executive Editor Thanks to a saf ety net of sa vings, George Mason University can worry a little less when it comes to the immediate impact of the state’s fi- nancial crisis on university operations, and the re- sulting monetary blows to its students and faculty. A little less, and only for now. Senior Vice President Morrie Scherrens told a packed room of faculty and administrators at a budget forum last week that rather than furlough Mason emplo yees for one da y — a move that seemed more than likely at last month’s forum — the uni versity instead planned t o absorb the Photo By Peter Flint | Photography Manager $900,000 blow of the state-imposed furlough. The CUE bus fares are going to rise effective as of April 1, bringing it close to the fares of the Metro Buses. “Oh, very good,” said one faculty member as the room, not expecting the announcement, burst into applause. Despite the $5.6 million hit the university took at the end of the legislative session, units and departments will not receive an y additional budget cuts this fiscal year, and the cost of the Budget cuts may affect CUE Bus move will be covered by a level of savings that Scherrens says the university had hoped to use if matters had gotten better later in the fiscal year. “We positioned ourselves so if the budget did not deteriorate beyond our projections, we could Students, faculty lobby city council for full continuation of service provide some additional funding to our highest unfunded priorities,” said Scherrens in an e-mail Matt Loffman | C2M Contributer correspondence after the forum. “It was our deci- sion to defer making these departmental alloca- At a community forum and special meet- Mason students and faculty currently ride for should be scrutinized and considered. tions this year and t o tr eat avoidance of the ing of the Fairfax City Council on Tuesday, Mayor free. Currently, the Fairfax city government pro- furlough as our highest priority.” Robert F. Lederer said that the budget for fiscal The budget also mentioned that the council vides $1 million in yearly subsidies to keep CUE Money will come, however, from cuts to the year 2011 is the “most difficult budget” he has ever is considering “potential service modifications,” buses running. George Mason University pro- equipment trust fund eminent scholar fund, seen. Fairfax, he said, is facing an $11 million but did not give any further details. vides an additional $300,000 that allo ws the earned interest and maintenance reserve. deficit. Mason community to ride for free. The rest of “I’m sure we’ve made the right decision . but Despite his assertion that “no decisions have Where the Service Stands CUE’s budget is raised through advertisements it’s a tradeoff,” said Scherrens at the forum, main- been made” concerning where to make budget Tuesday’s meeting of the City Council was and rider fares. taining that the absorption of the furlough meant cuts, Fairfax residents and George Mason Uni- an opportunity for c ommunity members to positions ma y stay unfilled, class sizes ma y be versity students came to the meeting to support weigh in on the budget shortfall and to advise the ‘An Important Service’ larger and that some of the largest projects across the continuation of CUE bus service. Many had council about how and where to make cuts. Among those present at the meeting was a campus may temporarily go unaddressed. heard about possible cutbacks or eliminations of Nearly 70 community members attended. CUE bus driver who has worked for the service “The message is it’s not because we had it lay- service from notices posted in city buses, which Of the 22 people who addressed the council, 17 since 1995. The driver, who asked not to be ing around . It’s important to understand it was the mayor later dismissed as “misguided fear[s].” discussed rumored changes to and elimination identified, spoke to Connect2Mason after the a difficult choice,” said Scherrens. The city is only in the initial stages of budget of CUE bus service. initial public feedback portion of the meeting. Out-of-state students dodged a bullet as well. negotiations and has not made any final deci- But before anyone could lobby the council, She said that being at the meeting to repre- The final legislation from the General Assembly sions. The final vote to authorize the 2011 budget Lederer made it clear that he thinks the CUE bus sent the dri vers w as important. When ask ed had imposed a $5 per-credit-hour fee on out-of- is scheduled for April 29 after two more public system is an “important service that has been which of the proposed cuts to CUE bus services state students, and in a move similar to the fur- input sessions. long-serving in our community.” would face the least opposition from her and lough decision, the university decided to Last week, City Manager Robert Sisson pro- The mayor told citizens that no discussion other drivers if service cuts were absolutely nec- additionally treat the $600,000 cost of the charge posed his budget, which called for a CUE bus fare of service elimination and no discussion “to my essary, she said that all the current CUE routes as another budget cut. increase fr om $1.4 5 to $1.60. This hik e would knowledge” of rush hour service cutbacks have and schedules are needed and that the CUE bus But students will still feel a pinch. While orig- bring CUE prices more in line with Metro bus taken place. He acknowledged, however, that provides an important service. inally projected to be higher, summer tuition will rates and would be on top of the previously an- some adjustments and limited service changes Mason student Lauren Brown also attended rise 8 percent for in-state students and 6 percent nounced r ate increase, effective A pril 1, that may be necessary, but that the council had not the meeting and said that the CUE bus helps for out-of-state students, an increase that Scher- raises the rate from $1.35 to $1.45. discussed any specifics about how to address the with the “development of the community.” rens said would likely “be very consistent” with the There was no mention in the proposed budget problems. He also said that nothing is off increases for the fall. budget of charging Mason students to ride buses. the table and ev ery ar ea of city g overnment See CUE BUS, Page 5 See BUDGET, Page 5 Mason student hit by vehicle Circus protesters Currently in the hospital, claim GMU police condition unknown injustice Ethan Vaughan Asst. News Editor Participants inhibited by barricades and police tape A George Mason University student was left in critical condition after being struck by Yasmin Tadjdeh a car on campus last Monday. News Editor Michelle Dawson, 21, was taken to Inova Fairfax Hospital after she was hit at approxi- Over the last two weeks, protesters have mately 9:35 p.m. on the night of March 29. gathered around the Patriot Center to rally The driver, Jeffrey Jenkins, a 23-year-old non- against the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bai- Mason student, was charged with failure to ley Circus for alleged animal cruelty of their yield to a pedestrian. Mason police gave no in- circus animals. However, according to some dication that Jenkins had been speeding at protesters, Geor ge M ason U niversity police the time of the accident, which occurred just have been unfairly targeting them and inhibit- in front of the campus police station. ing their protests. “The v ehicle remained on the scene,” Through police barricades and caution Deputy Police Chief George Ginovsky said Fri- tape, protesters claim that the Mason police day. “[The driver] was cooperative and de - force has been infringing on their right to scribed what happened. The investigation is protest by keeping them away from the public. for all intensive purposes over.” “This year when we arrived on campus, An unidentified individual made a cell there were metal barricades put in place at the phone call to the Fairfax County Public Safety top of the steps that lead down from the corner Communications Center, which notified cam- of Roanoke Road and Po River Lane,” said Lisa pus police. Officer Eric Aman responded to Qualls, a protester at the event and a volunteer the accident. with the local Washington, D.C. based ani- Ginovsky said he was not aware of stu- mal’s rig hts group, Compassion 4 Animals . dent complaints concerning the intersection, “Last year, that had been our main protest which some have said is dangerous and ought spot.” to be made safer with the installation of a stop Photo By | Ezekiel Watkins “We were told that the barricades were sign or stoplight. placed ther e because, in the past, children “I’m not prepared to make that recom- At last week’s Every Freakin’ Friday Pride Week Drag Show, students joined professional were looking over [their] shoulders at us and mendation,” Ginovsky said. “I don’t think it’s could have fallen down the steps,” said Qualls. drag queens to perform for a packed Johnson Center atrium. necessary.” “The next time we came back, we were He nonetheless urged students to take told we had to stay outside of the barricades,” Read more about the Pride Week Drag Show on page 6.