Gov. Sonny Perdue's cost cutting means Augusta State University's plan to increase security will be put on hold.
The school had been considering a plan to spend $30,000 a year to hire part-time security guards. But the governor's budget instructions, in which he asked all of the state's 35 colleges and universities to submit plans to slash their spending by 5 percent in the current fiscal year, means the school will make do without the guards for the foreseeable future.
Kathy Schofe, the director of ASU's public relations department, said they had hoped to hire the guards to take over basic tasks from the school's public safety department, such as opening and closing buildings on campus and escorting students to their cars at night.
"They do a lot of things that security people could do," Ms. Schofe said. "If we had security guards, they could relieve the public safety officers to do other things like patrolling."
They also won't be able to buy an extra car for the public safety department, she said.
The cuts will also apply to the 2009-10 fiscal year, which begins July 1, 2009.
"Public Safety operations will continue as they do today until that time," the school's proposal says, "but we forego an opportunity to make better use of our certified police officers."
Morris News Service reports were used in this article.
Reach Adam Folk at (706) 823-3339 or adam.folk@augustachronicle.com.
WORKING LATE?
Faculty and students who want an escort to their cars can reach the ASU Public Safety Department at (706) 737-1401.
Comments
Attaboy Gov Perdue.
Looking out for the Ga taxpayer is highly appreciated. However, I'll bet if you look really hard at the overall budget, you will find a lot of "CANDY' embedded throughout the budget. A successful manager can word projects and expendatures in such a manner as the true intent of the expenditure cannot be identified, or is blown up in its importance. In other words "THEY LIE".
Keep on looking Gov.
It's not the Gov. doofas, it is the school administration, and Public Safety is usually the first thing cut! I'll bet I could find 10 times that amount in a pork and bean account in their budget!
The article already says they have a school security program. They just wanted to add more and call them guards. Since they won't be able to add more, it's considered a cut. Peculiar way of looking at things.
Come on, $30,000.00 a year and they could not find a way to get this funded. They waste at least that much flying to and from all those BBQs they attend.
What with this " Doofas " stuff? People cannot even voice their opinion on something this simple without being attacked.
Cut them another 5 per cent Governor. private guards when the regular ones are sitting in the AC, no pun intended ASU, is typical of this breed of self serving, thought isolated buauracarts.
The top levels of layer upon layer of administration and their back covering motions on the tax payer eXpense is morally
wrong.
Hell cut them 10% and watch them squirm.
Show me your budget, and I'll know what your priorities are!!!!
You all sound bitter because you couldn't pass your classes at ASU.
HUH??? What is that supposed to mean? Sounds to me like someone got left behind.
i thought the lottery was supposed to make up budget shortfalls from preschool to college levels ,where is all this money going.we didnt seem to have this problem before we joined the multistate lottery program,i wonder what our cut is,maybe we are being short changed.or maybe perdue is just a doofas.
Change is comming soon folks, come November, all the tax breaks for the rich will be out the door, and we will be able to afford security for all students.
AMEN D1216
Yeah! There's probably lot's of extra things in that budget we don't need! Like all those classes teaching people stuff like Science and stuff dead people wrote!
Sonny perdue....what a fool
Alot more schools shootings will be happening this year. It won't just be rural schools or one's in the suburbs anymore. Alot more colleges are going to pay the brunt. People are crazy these days you need security.
No more tax breaks for the rich? Obama's plan to raise the highest tax levels to 36 and 39% will affect few of those "wealthy" taxpayers because they still pay more via the Alternative Minimum Tax. It is just a catchy phrase to make the downtrodden believe they are owed something. I fell for it too until I looked past the sound bite.
Surly the Somerville Neighborhood Association will supplement the money for the security guards.
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