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Show 654 GOVERNOR LEE MEETS WITH BOARD AND DISCUSSES BUDGET Following luncheon, to which Governor J. Bracken Lee had been invited, the appropriation bill, passed at the last Legislative session, just adjourned, was discussed in its relation to the University, The Governor assured the Board he would veto the appropriation to the University, in addition to other items in House Bill 287, and call a special session of the Legislature, possibly in November, to prepare another appropriation bill which will be more consistent with available revenue. He stated that the passing of House Bill 1 over his veto, which would allow the schools to hold-over unused funds from the previous biennium, had prompted him to decide in favor of a veto, The carry-over funds referred to by the Governor total $335, 000 in the case of the University, which is the amount the Board agreed to save from the vetoed item of $495, 000, after the veto had been invalidated by the district court in the case of the USAC, and which saving had been possible because that amount was raised by increasing student fees. The Governor admonished the University administration to be more realistic in approaching the problems with which it is faced as a result of the loss of so many veterans with marked decrease in fees, He said he felt sure enrollment at the higher in- stitutions of learning would not reach the figure estimated by the schools; stating that the only possibility for current enrollment to hold up would be for the government to place more GIs in col- lege, in which case the extra fees would take care of the costs. The Governor remarked that theUniversity's request for an increased appropriation was made necessary by the falling off of the G, I, revenue and that the State could not subsidize the school for this loss, It would be necessary for the school to cut its operating expenses by reducing its staff consistent with decreasing enrollment and by eliminating less essential items. Regent Browning raised the question of the relationship of this situation to contracts to be offered faculty members within the next month or 50, covering the ensuing school year, and just how the school would operate until the special session of the legislature convened in the Fall. The Governor stated that the Regents would have available the carry-over of $335, 000 (agreed savings) plus any other savings made before June 30, 1951, in addition to its receipts from fees. The Regents were assured by the Governor that he would approve an appropriation as high as $4, 835, 000, which was essentially the amount of $4, 500, 000 set up in the budget for the current biennium plus the $335, 000 of agreed savings. This wouldtbe a reduction of approximately $300, 000 in the amount appropriated by House Bill 287 which was $5, 149, 475, In addition to assuring the Board he would |
