Take Me To Post Comment Form I am writing in hopes that 4-H'ers, former 4-H'ers, and those who understand the impact of 4-H will read this article which came out this morning in the Athens-Banner Herald. In lieu of the state's budget shortfall, the Board of Regents has required all of the Universities to decrease their budgets even more in the coming year. UGA has planned to cut the 4-H program all together including closing extension offices throughout the state. Can you image no County Extension Agent, no 4-H Agent, and most of all, no 4-H program for our youth in Bryan County? Furthermore, it could mean that we loose our beloved Bamboo Gardens. I encourage all of you who read this to please contact your Representatives and Senators at the capital. Don't let the University or state cut the Extension Program!

I will go one step further with this, fellow UGA Grads, stand up for your University and don't let it kill it's reputation with all of these budget cuts. I understand that there is a shortfall monetarily, but it doesn't mean compromising it's education standards for both students and those who participate in programming before they even get to college (such as with 4-H).

The article from the Athens Banner-Herald is as follows:


UGA budget idea include silencing WUGA, laying off 1,400, closing 4-H

By Lee Shearer - Athens Banner-Herald

Published Monday, March 01, 2010
Buzz up!The University of Georgia would lay off 1,418 people, including 543 non-contract faculty slots, eliminating not just jobs but entire departments under a draconian budget-cutting plan submitted to state legislators this afternoon.

UGA financial planners also propose to reduce the size of the student body by 1,500 next fall, cutting the number of freshmen admitted next fall by 500 and incoming transfer students by 1,000.

Slated for closing: 4-H programs, half the Cooperative Extension offices in the state, the State Botanical Garden of Georgia and public radio station WUGA-FM (91.7).

One in four custodial workers would lose their jobs, as would dozens of administrators.

University System of Georgia Chancellor Erroll Davis last week ordered the budget-trimming plans from UGA and 34 other public colleges and universities after state legislators told the chancellor to draw up a plan to slash an additional $300 million from the university system’s budget of about $2.2 billion.

The Georgia General Assembly faces a revenue shortfall of up to $1 billion in the upcoming 2011 fiscal year, and legislative leaders are looking to the university system to reduce spending to help close the gap between revenue and expenses.

UGA’s share of the cuts comes to nearly $60 million, about 14 percent of the state portion of UGA’s budget. UGA had already planned cuts of $44 million for next year. The university got about $421 million from the state last year. Most of the rest of UGA’s revenue comes from student tuition and fees.