The Graduate School of Management (GSM) is finding that it is having to cut back on certain operations and expenses for the current academic year.
The GSM is being forced to shave $560,000 off of their 2009-2010 budget, or 4.1 percent, which on average would have been a budget of approximately $13,500,000.
Although in comparison to the other 12 academic units, the GSM is not facing the most drastic budget decrease, a number of budget adjustments are still necessary.
According to recently appointed Dean Steven C. Currall, the GSM has already made various operational changes, eliminating two marketing campaigns for MBA programs, the Dean’s Distinguished Speaker Series, a business partner event for hiring graduates, all of the international student recruitment efforts as well as numerous training programs and workshops previously provided for staff.
“As all deans are, I’m concerned with how cuts are going to affect the GSM. [The cuts] seem fairly modest … [but] it’s too early to tell,” Dean Currall said.
Graduate students at the GSM echoed both Currall’s optimism, as well as his reservation.
“[The GSM has] done a good job of insulating students and our education. I feel pretty fortunate,” said second-year grad student Bob Kays. “[But] it might get challenging.”
Others are worried less about the GSM’s financial difficulties, and more about their own. According to the GSM’s website, with total required fees for a resident graduate student at $26,996 for the current year, students have noticed the hike, which applies to all graduate students system-wide.
“The one thing which I notice most is the tuition increase,” said international graduate student Srinivas Muppidi. Total required fees for non-residents and international students are $40,730. But when asked about the budget cuts, Muppidi responded in a cheerful manner.
“Everything [regarding the budget] has been very transparent. The GSM is doing a great job upholding its professional standards.”
When questioned about the overall positive feeling surrounding the GSM, Dean Currall attributed some of it to the new location. Last Friday, the GSM moved into the newly-constructed Gallagher Hall, located on the south part of campus just east of the Mondavi Center.
However, a new building isn’t enough to convince Dean Currall that the GSM is out of hot water.
“President Yudof is on the record saying that by next year things will probably get worse,” Currall said.
According to Currall, the GSM has been encouraged to search for new sources of revenue in the event that budget reductions are expanded even further. Nevertheless, Dean Currall asserts that no decisions have been made for the 2010-11 academic year.
As for now, Dean Currall believes that the GSM is dealing with the budget cuts as best they can.
“This method is the most efficient, with the least amount of impact.”
-Kyle Sporleder
