University of Montana vice presidents detail planned spending cutbacks

A rebound in spring enrollment boosted tuition revenue enough to relieve some of the financial strain on the University of Montana http://www.umt.edu/future.aspx as administrators find ways to reduce the budget because of dwindling state funds.

At a meeting Friday, each vice president on campus outlined how he or she planned to reduce spending by 1 percent. Gov. Brian Schweitzer has ordered all state agencies to reduce general fund spending by 5 percent in the current biennium; thus UM’s work toward that goal.

That work is easier after newly released enrollment figures for the 2009-2010 academic year surpassed projections by 625 students. Earlier this fall, UM was concerned about a drop in non-resident students, who make up 20 percent of enrollment, but whose dollars account for half of the university’s tuition revenue.

By CHELSI MOY of the Missoulian

Full Story: http://missoulian.com/news/state-and-regional/article_33931824-2367-11df-9c7a-001cc4c03286.html