The budget cuts for the upcoming year due to the big gap in the state's revenue, forced the lawmakers to announce in last biennial legislature the reduction in more that 24$ billion for next year that will affect all of us. The legislator have been taking hard decision in order to keep balanced the economy of the Lone Star. Even that there have been many efforts to reduce and minimize cuts in education's budget, at the end Texas will suffer the economical crisis unquestionably, and specially all the educational structure: from the government employees, to the students and their parents. How will this affect us as current students? Well, we should expect many changes.
"Is going to adversely impact access, affordability and excellence," the University of Texas System Chancellor Francisco Cigarroa said to the Texas Senate Finance Committee last Wednesday at the Capitol, trying to defend education budget cuts. The University of Texas is estimating a reduce in their budget for more than $36 millions from the regular annual budget of $100 millions. A huge difference in student's aid for the next year.
For all those students looking for a masters degree, or those who want to apply for any higher education degree will have big issues getting funding from the State financial aids; more than 2,500 students only on the UT-Austin campus will suffer the shortage in the university budget, taking away the opportunity for this students to success. If we think about it: there will be less students, also there will be less people to work in the university researches, therefore there will be less income for the universities. This will be an issue that every single university of the whole state of Texas will have to face, so this implementation will strike back the economy for the upcoming years as well.
The lower-income students whom are depending on state and federal financial aid are the most effected. With state programs as TANF scholarship, Early High School Grad and Educational Aide Exemptions slashed, the future of many students are on a tightrope. Additional program funding reductions are expected also for programs as: Texas Grant, Texas Educational Opportunity Grant, Top 10% Scholarship, and Texas College Workstudy.
I agree with your argument that budget cut in education will lead to another economic downfall that will even deepen the current economic crisis. Along with your example of UT-Austin, in a recent article, the state decided to cut even more budget in education and this is seriously cutting the opportunities and developments of the college students. The state government has not only cut the budget for education but also the hopes for economic recovery.
ReplyDeleteWith fewer budgets in hand, the university is less likely to advance, and instead it will only decrease the quality and damage the future of the current scholars. Students will start stop their studies and drop out because they cannot afford the tuition and more students will have to work additional part time jobs. It is evident that the quality of education is going to drop under this kind of situation where there is no sufficient support for students. The quality of education is directly connected to the bright future of the economy and if that possibility is removed, there will be no future.
Under the current budget shortfall, the whole nation of the United States is undergoing a huge economic crisis. Like a vicious circle, one problem is leading to another problem and the suffering of the whole economy is increasing everyday. Texas government has already announced the budget cut in lots of different areas hoping for the recovery of economy. However, cutting the government spending in the areas that can create possible outcomes that will light up the economy must stop.
Government agencies should take a closer look in where to cut and where to not cut the budget. I believe even tax raise is more efficient than cutting the budget for economy. Another type of progressive tax where wealthy people pay more should be considered as an option to balance the budget. Cuts and raises have to be made but education is definitely not a subject to be cut. Education is directly linked to the bright future of our economy and government should not cut that possibility of recovery.