House cuts University by 18%

by Daniel J. Fitzgibbons, Chronicle staff

he University system made no gains last week as the House completed action on its $22.5 billion fiscal 2004 budget plan. Despite attempts by some lawmakers to restore some of the $79.8 million slashed from the University's appropriation, House members left the proposed 18 percent cut intact.

      Meanwhile, the House approved the restoration of $19.5 million from a proposed higher education incentive reserve to the state and community college systems.

     House members blocked a vote on Gov. Mitt Romney's proposal to eliminate President William M. Bulger's office, but approved the transfer of $1 million in state funds for the office to a scholarship fund for low income and disadvantaged UMass students. In a related move, a legislative study of the structure and governance of the UMass system was approved by the House.

      The decision not to eliminate the President's Office was welcomed by Board of Trustees Chairman Grace K. Fey.

      "I am pleased that the House of Representatives has chosen to preserve the University's leadership structure," she said. "In doing so, the House is voting to preserve the UMass system, as well as the progress that has been achieved over the past seven years."

      The House budget plan also includes level funding for Commonwealth College at $1.715 million and $2 million of the endowed chair program, which provides matching funds for named professorships.

      Earmarks in the House budget include $200,000 for a study of special education by the Dona-hue Institute; $50,000 for a grant to the McCormack Institute at UMass Boston; and $100,000 for facility costs associated with the Visual and Performing Arts program at UMass Dartmouth.

     Lawmakers also backed a 10 percent cut in the general scholarship account, lowering funding to $82.4 million for the next fiscal year. The UMass earmark in that account is nearly $8.7 million.

     Funding for higher education library materials was eliminated by the House.
In other action, the House passed an amendment to create a two-year pilot program to allow the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts and the Massachusetts College of Art to retain tuition from out-of-state students.

      The House budget includes an early retirement incentive plan for state employees. The measure would allow up to 5,000 workers to add up to five years to their age or years of service to qualify for higher retirement benefits. The plan allows for up to 20 percent of vacated positions to be refilled. The exit dates in the measure are Aug. 29 for most state workers and Dec. 31 for higher education employees.

      House members rejected a Ways and Means Committee proposal to create a sliding scale system for state employees health insurance premiums. Instead, lawmakers voted to increase the share paid by state employees from 15 percent to 20 percent. Workers hired after next Jan. 1 will pay 25 percent and active employees who retire will pay 15 percent under the plan.

      The debate now shifts to the Senate, where the Ways and Means Committee is expected to outline its budget proposal next week. Formal debate is expected to start early next month. Legislative leaders are pressing to complete a final budget and send it to the governor by mid-June.