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Dazzling Fireworks Light-Up Eustis Sky

The annual fireworks show, sponsored by the Eustis Chamber of Commerce, is always held on the Sunday night preceding the Fourth of July. Once again this year, kids of all ages were amazed by the sights and sounds of the colorful display.

Budget Cuts Hit NCTA

Two residence hall director positions have been lost at the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture (NCTA) in Curtis due to a reduction in force associated with a reorganization within the residential housing program. Several temporary positions have also been let go due to the budget restraints throughout the University of Nebraska system.

“The changes in the economy have been tragic and we have also been affected,” explained NCTA Dean Dr. Weldon Sleight. We had to make some hard decisions. The cuts we make cannot affect the academic side of the institution. We may have to cut more positions after we have our next step ahead orientations in July, depending on enrollment. Currently, we still have three student service positions open and one that may have to be cut, again depending on enrollment.”

NCTA has had resident hall directors since the high school days, according to Dr. Sleight. NCTA is eliminating the house mother model and going to a Resident Assistant (RA) model. Most institutions have switched to the RA model long ago.

The budget for the 2009-10 school year is about the same as last year - in excess of four million dollars. The 2008-2009 budget was $4,337,040 of which $1,662,563 was for instruction, $762,247 was for academic support, $1,072,066 was budgeted for student services and $840,164 was for physical plant operations.

“While the budget approved by the Board of Regents shows a 2.1% increase, as does the University wide budget show an increase, new expenditures exceed increased revenues by $26,493,” explained Vice Chancellor Alan Moeller. “However, we feel between enrollment looking better than projected in the Regents approved budget and that tuition remission costs will be less than projected (they already were this year) that NCTA will not be making any cuts this upcoming 2010 fiscal year, unless things change (i.e. special session necessitated by changing economic picture in the state).”

The 2009-10 NCTA Operating Budget, Tuition Rate Increases, and reinstatement of the allotment for committed carry forward funds already approved in previous fiscal years was approved by the Board of Regents of the University of Nebraska at their meeting on June 12, 2009. The total state appropriation request was $2,639,103 which is $39,002 over the 2008-09 budget (an increase of 1.5%). The remaining budget amount comes from other sources, such as revolving funds, tuition, fees and grants. Tuition across the University of Nebraska system increased only 4%, the lowest increase in more than a decade and the second lowest in more than 20 years.

“The problem is health benefits have gone up and the changes in benefits have to be taken out of the existing budget,” explained Dr. Sleight. “We are tightening our belts now. We have done everything we can to cut operating costs. We hope there will not be any more personnel cuts. “ Losing positions at NCTA has been very difficult for Dr. Sleight, although he is very optimistic for the future.

“I am a firm believer in building rural Nebraska,” stated Dr. Sleight. “We are getting ready to build two buildings. This recession and hiccup in the budget just hit at the wrong time. When we start building, that should start to stimulate the economy here. And when the buildings are built, the improvements at NCTA will help us recruit more students and increase our enrollment, which will allow us to create more employee positions. I believe we must continue to move forward. What we do here is important to the future of Frontier County and the surrounding area.”

The University of Nebraska system suffered a budget shortfall of $8.5 million. NCTA is not the only campus in the University of Nebraska system to lose personnel positions. The University of Nebraska-Lincoln lost 56 positions, which is better than UNL Chancellor Harvey Perlman expected. “In fashioning our budget cuts, we have continued to emphasize our priorities and to preserve the core of the academic enterprise. We have also resisted across-the-board reductions. The consequence of focusing on programs and activities is that not every college or unit will be treated equally,” Perlman stated in an email to faculty and staff on June 17th.

Despite the severe budget shortfall faced this year, NU President James B. Milliken has expressed optimism for the university’s future. “Nebraska’s economy, despite the many challenges we face, is in better shape than that of many other states,” Milliken said in a press release June 12th. “Also the management of both the state and the university in recent years has put us in a strong position relative to other states and the university’s peer institutions. Our ability to invest in the quality of the university can give the University of Nebraska a competitive advantage at a time when almost all other states are making deeper cuts and have less ability to capitalize on opportunities.”