Hearing on proposed cuts

Non-resident Portland State University graduate students enrolled in nine or fewer credits may see their per-credit tuition costs increase 80 percent.

Part-time, out-of-state undergraduates could see their per-credit rate increase 50 percent.

Proposals to “change (PSU’s) tuition policies immediately” and others will be addressed today at a public hearing at 1 p.m. in Hoffmann Hall.

Today’s hearing is the first public meeting of the Budget and Priorities Committee, a group that has been meeting in private since February to hash out PSU’s response to expected budget cuts. Another meeting is scheduled for May 22 at 3 p.m. in Smith Memorial Student Union, Room 294.

Yesterday, Oregon’s office of economic analysis reduced forecasts for Oregon’s 2003-05 tax revenues by more than $640 million, or roughly 6 percent.

The hearings “are for members of the University community to offer comments and recommendations on scenarios for budget reductions, and the white paper on governance and the future of PSU,” wrote David Johnson, chair of the Budget and Priorities Committee in an e-mail. The white paper is online at www.bud.pdx.edu/budget2003/whitepaper.pdf.

The committee will make recommendations to PSU President Daniel Bernstine in June.