SGA senator, AASU students protest proposed USG cuts at Obama event

The President's invitation-only town hall at Savannah Technical College became a site for students to voice their opposition to the massive $300 million cuts to Higher Education put forward by the USG, including the end of the 4H program.

The cuts, if passed, would result in a loss of almost $5.3 million for AASU. Nearly 100 full-time positions would be eliminated and at least 1200 students would lose their major of choice with the total reduction of five departments or programs.

Under the plan, satellite campuses would likely be shuttered, an additional, though as yet unknown, loss would be incured on student graduation and rentention rates. Tuition could potentially be reaised as much as 70 percent to maintain current budget levels for fiscal year 2011.

From the Univeristy System of Georgia's press release: "In response to a request on Wed., Feb. 24, 2010, from the chairmen of the House and Senate Appropriations Higher Education Subcommittees, today University System of Georgia (USG) Chancellor Erroll B. Davis Jr. submitted documents detailing how the USG and its 35 colleges and universities would manage an additional $300 million in reductions to state appropriations in the upcoming Fiscal Year 2011 budget."

A full breakdown of the USG's assessment of insitutional effects from the cuts can be found here: http://www.usg.edu/fiscal_affairs/documents/summary_of_reductions.pdf