University administrators told the Board of Regents Tuesday that they were hopeful about UNM's legislative funding but added that next year's budget remained impossible to predict.
Julie Weaks, vice president for Business and Finance, told the board at its monthly meeting that the latest budget revision was favorable for the University, but added that it was too difficult to gauge how Gov. Gary Johnson would react to the second attempt at a state budget for the 2002-2003 fiscal year.
The latest budget is headed to the House of Representatives and will likely be sent to Johnson by the time the session ends Thursday. It includes full formula funding; a 2.5 tuition credit, or percentage the Legislature expects the University to raise tuition; and a 15 percent cut in all special projects except for the Newborn Intensive Care Unit, New Mexico Poison Control and the Graduate Student Research Development Program.
Weaks added that legislators had trimmed one-tenth of 1 percent from all state agencies, including UNM, in an effort to appease the governor's request to cut spending.
Johnson vetoed the first version of the budget legislators approved, citing overuse of the state's reserves and soaring Medicaid spending. He has hinted that if he is not sent a budget he deems more fiscally responsible, state agencies could face a government shutdown if no budget is approved by the time the current budget cycle ends June 30.
"We are hopeful, but with the great controversy surrounding the use of balances and Medicaid spending it really is just too soon say for sure," Weaks said.
Get content from The Daily Lobo delivered to your inbox
The undergraduate student government's textbook initiative, which would allow the UNM Bookstore to sell textbooks tax free to students year-round without closing it the general public, is still moving through the Legislature.
The graduate student government has focused on seeking state funding for graduate student child care, appealing for $50,000. Thus far, the child care bill is earmarking $25,000 for UNM graduate students.
Regent Sandra Begay-Campbell lauded students' efforts to support University funding initiatives, saying that she thought their organized presence made a difference this year.
During the same meeting, Weaks also presented UNM's spring enrollment figures. This semester, enrollment has increased 2.2 percent, or 22,725. The amount of credit hours students are taking also increased 2.3 percent, or to a total of 250,306. The figures include non-degree, undergraduate, graduate and professional students.
During the same meeting, the regents approved the sale of 3.5 acres of land south of the UNM softball and baseball fields north of Gibson Boulevard and west of University Avenue. Kim Murphy, director of real estate, told the regents that the land had not been developed and was difficult to navigate. He said the buyer had land next to it, would be able to use the property and was willing to pay $3.50 per square foot.
Murphy said the proceeds would be used to buy privately owned lots surrounding south campus, secure and clean up undeveloped areas around The Pit that had been polluted and for minor discretionary projects.
The regents also approved renovation of 5 East, a patient care unit at UNM Hospital. The project involves utility upgrades and improvements to patients' rooms and the nurses' station. It will be funded by UNM Hospital capital funds.
