The REAL Facts.

Yesterday I pointed out the irony that UA President Robert Shelton called the Arizona Legislative leaders "malevolent" and then complained that the political process is too "vituperative."

Shelton went on to complain that the UA budget has suffered tremendous cuts.

During this period, we have seen our state appropriation cut by nearly one-quarter, going from approximately $440 million to $340 million.

Shelton then chastised the "malevolent" legislators who claim that the cuts to UA haven't actually been that bad.

The facts on our budget are clear and unambiguous, yet we have key legislators who have stated publicly – with straight faces, I might add – that we have been untouched and spared any significant cuts and that this year they are really going to have to slash us.

Hmm.  Well facts are facts, so I decided to check out the facts.  I contacted the Joint Legislative Budget Committee and asked for UA's total funding. 

Here's the response:

Mr. Patterson

UA's originally enacted FY 2008 General Fund appropriation was $362.4 million, and their current year (FY 2011) General Fund appropriation is $271.3 million, which is a decrease of $(91.1) million. 

 UA was appropriated $117.7 million in Other Appropriated Funds in FY 2008 and $219.3 million in the current year, which is an increase of $101.6 million.

UA's Non-Appropriated and Federal Funds budget was $786.7 million in FY 2008 and $911.3 million in FY 2011, which is an increase of $124.6 million.

In total, UA's FY 2008 budget was $1,266.8 million and their FY 2011 budget was $1,401.9 million, which is a total increase of $135.1 million.

So the University of Arizona's total budget has increased by $135.1 million--over 10%--during the period in which the "malevolent" state leaders have been "slashing" the funding. 

Technically, Shelton is right that the state general fund appropriation has dropped by about $100 million--money that has been made up from other state funds and by federal funds. 

So which presentation of the "facts" is more accurate--Shelton's depiction of the Legislators as Freddy Kruger?  Or is the more accurate version the one that legislative leaders have been saying "with straight faces," i.e. that "UA has been spared any significant cuts."  Obviously the legislative version is accurate and Shelton's version is only true after some weasel words and cherry picking.

Shelton is not ready for prime time.  His speech was misleading and condescending and his description of legislators as malevolent was unprofessional.  His snarky comment that legislative leaders were saying things with a "straight face" is condescending and he has humiliated himself since the legislators' "straight faced" response is actually the accurate representation of the facts.

Surely we can do better for our $550,000.  I mean, seriously, this guy is not ready for prime time. Send him home. 

Comments

[Doug]

As far as educators are concerned, Shelton is TOTALLY ready for prime time. He has mastered the art of instilling fear into the populace and motivating people to storm the legislature with pitchforks to keep money flowing to education.

This is the same type of crowd that when Horne instituted four hours of English language instruction for ELL students a few years ago, screamed that the total cost to AZ K-12 districts would be north of $350 million. They basically make these numbers up. It was actually $12 million for the whole state.

Look up this week's story about the Union school district in Phoenix (NOT Phoenix Union HS district). It just came out of receivership for financial mismanagement. Now they have learned how to spend and, more importantly, NOT spend money and they are doing fine. EVERY district in AZ should take a page from that book because they all waste money.

[Thane Eichenauer]

I am happy this guy doesn't actually teach accounting, he just supervises the guys who supervise the accounting professors.

And yet... somehow that doesn't reassure me.

[todd]

I would like to suggest the reading of the JLBC information being presented is incorrect.

The $100 million cut would not have been made up by other state and federal funds. The 'other appropriated funds' are in fact tuition which is collected by UofA and the legislature 'appropriates' back. The other funds likely come from federal grants, private donations, commercialization, and assorted smaller funding sources. It really would have been helpful for the JLBC to make this clear and I can't imagine why they didn't.

Anyway, presented in this light, it seems the JLBC numbers indicate the state has in fact cut significantly from the UofA budget while enrollment has grown. The UofA has increased revenue by the fact tuition has increased and they have been more successful in securing private donations and federal grants.

[Travis]

Shelton's comments are meant to lead people into thinking that the legislature cut the UofA budget and that the UofA suffered a loss of money. That's not true. The legislature cut the budget and UofA did not suffer a loss. So, if in fact there are legislators claiming, as Shelton says, "that we have been untouched and spared any significant cuts", then that is true. The legislature did not spare them - which is fair - but they indeed were spared.

As any good liar knows, you can present the truth in such a way that the final effect is a lie.

[I'm mad as hell...]

One option is for the legislature to stop appropriating directly to the Universities and instead pool those funds to provide tuition vouchers to residents and let the schools compete for students. Vouchers would be limited to 4 years. Also, University presidents' salaries would be tied to graduation rates.

[Stewie]

Oh, but Greg, his speech was very well recieved by Pete Hershberger, Jennifer Burns, and Steve Farley, also John Humenik and Jane White, Sarah Gassen. So they were all barking in unison like trained seals.

[Stewie]

Greg, in fact, here is video of their reaction to Shelton's speech:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2-61pPx-ZE

[Blackbird03]

Awesome Stewie!

[RonJ]

Is it really a surprise to anyone (Todd, notwithstanding) that Shelton is a liar? The left just continues this rant that only they know what's good for all of us. Just give them the money and the power and the credit and they will take care of us all. Sounds like Lucifer's plan in the War in Heaven.

[Nick]

The Education Steamroller.

A Victim of the Education Bubble

December 3, 2010 11:12 A.M. By George Leef
Listen to this illuminating interview Peter Schiff did with a student who is $200,000 in debt for a sociology degree from Northeastern University. He gets right at the root of the problem: government-guaranteed student loans.

[Nick]

Another Dissent

November 24, 2010 8:49 A.M. By George Leef
Writing in the Los Angeles Times, economics professor Shirley Svorny (Cal State Northridge) argues against the idea that if a state puts more kids through college, it will receive an economic boost. While the bigwigs in California’s higher-ed system want people to believe that, she says that “the state’s prosperity rests on public policies that encourage economic activity, not on heavy subsidies to higher education.”

[todd]

RonJ - Let's say I expected a payment from you of $20,000 to my business. Instead you give me $15,000. To keep my head above water I need to do some combination of cutting costs, increase what I charge others and take more jobs. If I claimed you failure to pay me was harmful you would call me a liar since I was able to make up the deficit through other means? Interesting logic.

BTW, I am noticing a trend here that you seek to cast people that disagree with you as not just wrong but fundamentally evil.

[EdFoster]

Now look. I understand the readers and responders here hate the MSM. And sometimes the glamorous Ms. Pitzl or other reporters might get something wrong. But this particular post don't prove nothing.

Tell me, who does JLBC work for? The Legislature. They don't want to aggravate the speaker and the president. (Russ Pearce is a great guy. But I wouldn't want to be on his fighting side.)

So, are they gonna say that the UofA pres is right? Uh, no. They are likely to support their masters. They probably want to keep putting beans on the table.

Now, back in the day, a reporter would look for a neutral voice. Admittedly, such a thing might not be available. Perhaps a retired budget analyst could be found. Such an animal should know no fear. Find a few of those and you'd probably get well-rounded facts.

Getting all your information from one side ain't illuminating. I suspect the reported "increases" are actually encumbered in some way.

[Stewie]

Oh, so the JLBC lies? They're all in the bag. Tell me Ed, do you work for the Star, I've heard that from them. Nice try, not buying int.

If this years $ are greater than last years $, then there was no cut.

[RonJ]

Todd, you finally are beginning to understand. And it's not just about not agreeing with me. It's about lying; it's about trying to control others under the guise of "fairness;" it's about forcing others to do the Christian thing of helping the poor, the widows, etc. It's all about the left FORCING others to do their will, because, after all, the left just knows what's good for us, and by damn, we're going to make you be good! That's Lucifer's plan; there's no other way to describe it.

[Nick]

Gentle Arizonians.

Please send many of your tax dollars to bail out the LIBERAL SPENDER SEDUCERS in Kalifornia!

WE NEED YOUR MONEY.