White Lake sophomore Derrick Welsbacher skipped his political science class to attend Monday’s budget forum in the Bovee University Center Auditorium.

Welsbacher asked why CMU is going ahead with a $975,000 project for new turf for the football stadium, leaving the field hockey team without a place to play.

University President Michael Rao said he has been aware for two years that replacing the turf is needed.

It has been considered many times during the last six or seven months to take action that would accommodate both football and field hockey, but that solution does not seem possible, said George Ross, vice president of Finance and Administrative Services.

Lynn McClain, head cook for Dinning Services, entertained the idea that CMU should sell pieces of the old turf.

“I’d be willing to buy the ‘L’ for $100,” she said, to which Rao quickly replied, “Sold.”

“Any creativity is most welcome even if it’s an idea that people might chuckle at a bit,” Rao said. He also said he would buy a piece.

Though not much has changed in Lansing, CMU officials updated the campus community on looming budget cuts.

Kathy Wilbur, vice president of Governmental Relations and Public Affairs, addressed the state’s 2004-05 budget, which has now passed through the senate.

Wilbur said she is thankful the senate spelled out details of the tuition restraint policy included in Gov. Jennifer Granholm’s budget so no one forgets the “deals” that have been made.

“It very clearly identifies that each university which has taken the pledge of (limiting tuition increases to) 2.4 percent will receive the 3 percent back of their 5 percent callback from last year,” she said.

Wilbur said she is hopeful the language will be maintained through House hearings, which are scheduled to begin April 21.

Rao said a 2.4 percent tuition increase would generate approximately $125 per student — half of which would instantly get absorbed in paying the retiree health portion of CMU’s cost to the Michigan Public School Employees Retirement System.

Even though it’s about half of what the university cut last year, $14.3 million, CMU has little room facing a $7 million deficit in the upcoming fiscal year, Rao said.

“The number of cuts on this campus that involve jobs will be significant,” Rao said, adding that cuts will not be made across the board.

“The university did a lot of that in the past in my opinion and I don’t think it served it well,” he said. “I have no interest in being part of an average state university.”

Rao said he hopes to have decisions made well in advance of July 1. He said the university would benefit to begin looking ahead at the 2005-06 and 2006-07 fiscal years now.

“We’ve got to be prepared for those, and we’re not,” he said.

Wilbur said the senate bill included $65 million for private tuition grants, which was not included in Granholm’s proposed budget.

“Where the funding is coming from, I am not sure,” she said.

Ross said the Budget Review Advisory Committee is now undergoing a review of non-general budgets on campus.

“CMU has 10 major units on campus, not included in general fund budgets, with gross revenues totaling about $78 million,” Ross said. “We’ve asked certainly those units to make a larger contribution to the general fund in this coming budget year as a partial offset to some of the reductions.”

Ross said the BRAC will continue to meet each Wednesday for the next four weeks, after which it will make recommendations to the senior administration.

The Senior Staff Budget Advisory Group is close to final reduction possibilities, said Thomas Storch, executive vice president and provost.