... for rather obvious reasons is Delaware State University.
But this one question has been niggling at me ever since the General Assembly completed its budget negotiations.
Of the three state-supported institutions of higher education, DSU by far receives the smallest amount of support from the State: Del-Tech receives $30 million more and UD receives about $80 million more.
So here's my question: Why did DSU--which receives the smallest allocation--take the largest budget hit?
Check the numbers: Del-Tech got hit for 6%, UD took a 7% reduction, and DSU got clipped for more than 8%.
Unfortunately, I think I know the answer.
When you're Lonnie George, or there are literally UD alums falling all over each other in the Executive and Legislative branches, you get good protection.
When you are the smaller, historically Black university that's had management problems and difficulty finding a new president, the State really doesn't have to pay attention.
In fact, the State may be sending a message. In his remarks to the Joint Finance Committee, Interim DSU President Clay Smith told the legislators that a 10% cut--which they first envisioned--would put DSU on the road to going out of business.
Handing DSU an 8.4% cut, then, appears almost tantamount to saying, "Good luck with that."
But this one question has been niggling at me ever since the General Assembly completed its budget negotiations.
Of the three state-supported institutions of higher education, DSU by far receives the smallest amount of support from the State: Del-Tech receives $30 million more and UD receives about $80 million more.
So here's my question: Why did DSU--which receives the smallest allocation--take the largest budget hit?
Check the numbers: Del-Tech got hit for 6%, UD took a 7% reduction, and DSU got clipped for more than 8%.
Unfortunately, I think I know the answer.
When you're Lonnie George, or there are literally UD alums falling all over each other in the Executive and Legislative branches, you get good protection.
When you are the smaller, historically Black university that's had management problems and difficulty finding a new president, the State really doesn't have to pay attention.
In fact, the State may be sending a message. In his remarks to the Joint Finance Committee, Interim DSU President Clay Smith told the legislators that a 10% cut--which they first envisioned--would put DSU on the road to going out of business.
Handing DSU an 8.4% cut, then, appears almost tantamount to saying, "Good luck with that."
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Mark H