Purdue News
Purdue NewsMarch 6, 1998
According to Extension Director Henry A. Wadsworth, the action is necessary to ensure that Purdue Agriculture's budgetary commitments do not exceed appropriations. The freeze applies to future faculty and staff vacancies on campus and in the 92 county Extension offices. Positions already open or that have searches in progress, positions that are solely county-funded, and those that are supported by outside grants or contracts will be filled, he said.
"We wish we didn't have to do this. There will be missed opportunities in agricultural research and education programs," Wadsworth said. "But fiscal realities say we need to be prudent."
In 1997 and 1998, Purdue asked the state for $3.2 million to move county educator salaries to the state budget and insulate them from the federal shortfalls.
President Clinton's latest budget proposal recommends cutting federal formula funds for Extension and agricultural research. Wadsworth estimated that the proposal would cut funds for Purdue agricultural research by 9 percent and funds for the Cooperative Extension Service by 4 percent. Altogether, the federal shortfall could be $1.1 million for the 1999 fiscal year, Wadsworth said.
Wadsworth said he cannot predict which programs will be affected, but staff vacancies will hurt 4-H programming and other Extension programs in the counties. Campus vacancies would mean some programs could end, Wadsworth said.
"We're going to lose some very good people because of this," Wadsworth said.
He said he is hopeful the state will address the shortfall in the 1999 legislative session.
Source: Henry A. Wadsworth (765) 494-8489
Writer: Chris Sigurdson, (765) 494-8415, e-mail, sig@ecn.purdue.edu
Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; e-mail, purduenews@purdue.edu
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