Oregon Public Broadcasting

In the wake of budget cuts announced for the new fiscal year, Washington State University President Elson Floyd says the university needs to heal. Glenn Mosley reports.

The budget cuts announced last week by Washington State University to balance its budget for the coming fiscal year included the closing of three academic programs and the loss of about 360 jobs.

At a public forum where those cuts were announced, WSU President Elson Floyd was asked if furloughs or other cuts were still a possibility. Floyd said the budget is balanced for this year.

Elson Floyd: “I've got to get my university healing again, and I've got to get this community healing again. Any number of variables can occur in the future; we'll have to deal with that in the future.”

Floyd said the university has been through an emotional ringer trying to deal with $54 million in state mandated budget cuts. He said that for now the budget is balanced and there is no other shoe to drop.

Floyd reduced his own salary by $100,000 last November as part of the budget process; other administrators are contributing five percent of their base salaries back to the university, as well.