Tuition for University of Montana students could skyrocket by up to 23 percent, should budget projections hold true for the University system from the state legislature.
Due to a projected shortfall in the state gas tax fund, Governor Steve Bullock has responded by proposing a cut in funding and personnel in the Montana Highway Patrol.
The 2017 legislative session hasn’t even begun, but there are already signs of a hotly contested budget battle after Governor Bullock’s proposed budget asked for cuts in the Montana Highway Patrol.
The Montana Board of Regents is meeting on Wednesday in Billings, and officials are hinting that there will be few surprises when it comes to enrollment throughout the university system.
The recent cuts at the University of Montana have often been depicted as a budget fight between the administration and faculty, but now faculty members say that cuts in some administrative positions are directly hurting their departments.
The College of Humanities and Sciences at the University of Montana is working on meeting cuts that seem to be higher than anyone expected. The department may even have to shave off up to 50 percent of its operational costs.
A group of University of Montana faculty, students and staff met together on Monday afternoon to respond to President Royce Engstrom's plan to cut staff and expenses due to reduced enrollment. Their response, according to history professor Mehrdad Kia, "We cannot cut our way out of this crisis."
University of Montana officials will fire 27 people and reduce the hours of dozens of others to bring the school's budget into balance with its reduced enrollment.