Massachusetts' proposed budget for the fiscal year 2003 projects to cut the state's contribution to Tufts Veterinary School in half. The state typically allocates approximately $5.3 million annually, but proposed to give $2.5 million next year. The University is lobbying to prevent the cuts.
Massachusetts' current "fiscal crisis" led to cuts across all departments and agencies, according to Nicole St. Peter, spokeswoman for the state's office of administration and budgeting.
"Almost every line item in the budget was cut because of decline in revenues," she said. "Currently, fiscal year 2003 has a structural deficit of $2.3 billion, so other cuts will have to be made to fill in the gap."
The proposed $2.5 million for the Vet School will fund the care of the state's police horses. Funds from the state are also usually used for a tuition remission program.
Spokeswoman for the Vet School Barbara Donato said that the school is optimistic that the state legislature will not go through with the proposed cuts. "We would prefer to speculate on the cuts not happening," she said. "We hope the legislature does what they've done in the past" by granting the typical amount.
President Larry Bacow echoed Donato, saying that the University is currently lobbying state representatives to secure the typical amount of funding.
"Last year, the Governor proposed similar cuts and the House and Senate restored funding for the Vet School in the final appropriation bill which the governor signed," Bacow said. "We are working with the Governor's Office as well as members of the House and the Senate to help them understand the important role that our Vet School plays in the Commonwealth."
Bacow said that such proposed cuts are part of the "normal political process that is involved in putting a budget together."
If the proposed cuts are approved, Donato said no contingency plan currently exists. "There are no announced plans to cut any programs, projects or employees," she said.
Tufts Veterinary School opened in 1979 and is one of 28 veterinary schools in the country. The state procured the land for the Grafton campus, which was once the site of a mental hospital, and sold it to the University for $1. The state continues to support the school and the school makes certain provisions to the state in return, such as allotting 51 percent of its 80 slots per class for Massachusetts residents.
All 28 of the country's veterinary schools are partially funded by their resident states. But according to Donato, Massachusetts provides the lowest amount of funding for its vet school. The Vet School acquires 13 percent of its funding from the state, whereas the average for most schools is 26 to 36 percent. Some schools get as much as over 60 percent of their funding from the state.
Most other veterinary schools are public, and St. Peter said that Massachusetts may fund less because Tufts is a private institution.
The budget was proposed in January of this year, and will be approved in its final form in July. Along with cuts across the board, St. Peter said the state may have to dip into its "rainy day fund" to make up for the gap in the budget.
