President's radio broadcast
focuses on budget proposals
By Dave Stephens
Assistant
Campus Editor
Talk of the state's budget forecast dominated Purdue
president Martin Jischke's monthly radio discussion on Wednesday.
Jischke, who talked for almost an hour on Purdue's
WBAA 920 AM discussed Indiana's proposed budget and what the effects
would be on the University.
The president said despite strong support for education,
the proposed state budget for Purdue would not allow for new program
funding, facilities or adjustments for inflation.
"It really represents a cut from the level where
we were at," said Jischke.
He said the state budget planners are not singling
out Purdue or other state universities, but that the funding cuts would
affect all levels of education, kindergarten through college.
The president also said the budget was far from
being final and that changes to it were still likely.
"It is still very early in the process," said Jischke.
"We've been encouraged by the governor's and business leader's comments."
To help emphasize the reasons why Purdue deserves
a larger portion of the state's budget, Jischke discussed several of
the new programs and facilities that a larger budget could help bring
to the University.
"These programs are not just for Purdue," he said.
"We're talking about the future of the state of Indiana."
Jischke also said plans for buildings such as new
computer science and engineering buildings would help attract the best
students and faculty.
"We desperately need space in our engineering department,"
he said, "and we need a new computer science building. Our enrollment
in that department has doubled in the last five years."
During the radio show, during which listeners were
urged to call in and ask questions, Jischke received only one question;
a caller asking about Purdue's involvement with the Worker Rights Consortium.
Dan Skinner, who hosted the show with Jischke,
said that the numbers of callers always varies but that he would always
like to have more participation.
"I've never worked at another institution where
there's been a president that's been so open in communication with the
students and public," said Skinner. "Jischke's gone out of his way to
make himself available and hear what people say. That's a special quality
in a president."
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