IU bracing for legislative battle

IU officials are bracing for a legislative showdown, one day after Gov. Frank O'Bannon's bleak admission that Indiana can't increase support for its universities.\nWith no new funding in sight for basic initiatives like building maintenance, Information Technology and the School of Informatics, IU is struggling to preserve what it has. \n"Everyone is rolling up their sleeves," IU spokesman Bill Stephan said. "Everyone knows it's going to be tough."\nDuring last year's legislative session, IU was able to stave off budget cuts by tapping into one-time technology fees. Although O'Bannon didn't announce any new cuts this time around, IU will still feel the effects of last year's $100 million cut. \n"Things don't look good," Don Weaver, IU director of state relations, said. "They allowed us to use one time funds to fill in the gap of the cut. We will not have those tech funds next year."\nStephan said IU will lobby hard to try and prevent hitting students with their third tuition increase in three years. Over the last two years, IU has seen tuition increases of 6.5 and 9 percent.\n"There will be great sensitivity to trying to manage tuition increases," he said. "That's one of the reasons we will be working aggressively this session."\nIU started with three funding goals for the 2003 General Assembly -- restoring the base funding and the repair and rehabilitation funds and completing the School of Informatics. \nNone of those goals will likely be met. \n"The Governor's budget presentation is disappointing," Weaver said. "It obviously didn't give us any one of those three (goals)."\nTo help push its cause, IU hopes to rely on its powerful connection with business leaders in the Alliance for Indiana's Future. Last year the group sponsored one of the legislative session's few successes, House Bill 1001, which restructured the state's tax system. \n"We have a network of supporters and friends who believe in education," Stephan said. "There is an emerging consensus that you cannot sacrifice your investments in higher education if you want to grow."\nIU President Gerald Bepko said the Alliance will announce its 2003 goals shortly and will likely add more members. \nAlthough IU and education as a whole have suffered most as a result of the state's economic crunch, IU officials are confident that they are getting their message across to legislators. IU is the engine of the state's economy, Weaver said.\n"The bigger issue in higher education is it's the best economic tool in the state," he said. "It's important that this state have a well educated and trained work force in order to go into the 21st century."\nWhen the economy shores up and the state gets dollars, then it will provide the fuel, Weaver said. \n"We are the answer to revitalizing our economy," he said. "Most of the legislators understand that. It's just that when you don't have money, you don't have money."\nO'Bannon plugged his Energize Indiana plan Tuesday, a stimulus package he announced in December that includes $162 million for university buildings and technology. \nBepko said it was the bright spot of the address. \n"I think that plan represents very good thinking," Bepko said. "It certainly is friendly to the public research universities."\nBepko has said securing funding from the state is among his top priorities as president. \n"We're hopeful, and we hope economic conditions continue to improve," Bepko said.