A last minute $4.2 million budget cut by the provincial government has left university administrators scrambling to develop a plan to overcome the shortfall.

UVic was informed on March 12 that its budget for the fiscal year, starting April 1, would be reduced to two per cent below its original proposed funding level.

While the university is still receiving a $6.1 million increase in funding over last year, it is $4.2 million less than what the government had originally promised and what the university had budgeted for.

All UVic faculties have been directed to draw up proposals to reduce their budgets by an average of two per cent.

UVic’s Vice President Academic and Provost, Jamie Cassels said that while the specific impacts of the cuts are not yet known, it will undoubtedly have wide-ranging consequences.

“Hopefully, we won’t be closing down any programs, but it will mean fewer faculty positions, sessional instructors, TAs and less funding for support services,” Cassels said.

With nearly 80 per cent of UVic’s operating budget going toward the salaries paid to its 3,800 employees, it is expected that most of the reductions will be met through selectively not filling positions left vacant through attrition.

This will likely mean up to 30 fewer tenure and tenure-track faculty positions in addition to fewer TAs and other support staff.

Despite the decrease in funding, the Board of Governors has approved the original 2008/2009 budget with the $4.2 million shortfall.

The university expects that it will be able to absorb the one-time shock without incurring a deficit.

With an operating budget of over $250 million, UVic expects to have enough money on hand at any one time to cover all of its costs this year.

However, the university will have to find $4.2 million worth of spending reductions by next year’s budget.

UVic’s funding reduction is part of a general two per cent decrease to all post-secondary institutions in the province.

Murray Coell, the Minister of Advanced Education, has responded to criticism of the cuts by saying that overall operating funding to B.C. post-secondary institutions are still increasing by over $68 million this year.

“What we’re doing is redirecting funds into areas that are needed by B.C. as a whole: nursing, trades and skills and aboriginal learners,” Coell said in a statement.

Proposals from faculty deans and other administrators to find these savings are due to be presented to the Board of Governors in June.