BUDGET
University plans for worst after Regents' suggested cuts
BY HALEY JONES
hjones@kansan.com
The University of Kansas is considering ways to lower its budget by about $5.5 million next year because of possible stateordered budget reductions.
If the reductions suggested by the Kansas Board of Regents are approved, the University will have to reduce its overall budget by about 2 percent next year. The Lawrence campus budget would decrease by about $3.1 million and the Medical Center budget would decrease by about $2.4 million.
In July, Governor Kathleen Sebelius asked state education institutions to plan on spending 1 to 2 percent less than the state had approved for the 2009 fiscal year.
Kip Peterson, media coordinator for the Kansas Board of Regents, said that if a budget reduction was necessary, the University would face the biggest cut, because it was the largest of the six state universities.
Peterson said the health of the Kansas economy would determine whether Sebelius decided the budget cuts were necessary. He said the state consensus revenue estimates that would be released in November would be helpful in determining the health of the state's economy.
Chancellor Robert Hemenway said 65 percent of the state's expenditures were on education.
"We know that education is very important to the future of the state," Hemenway said.
Hemenway said in a letter to the Regents that a 7 percent reduction in the state budget for education institutions by 2010 would erase all gains in state funding the University had received during the past three years. That cut would mean that in 2010 the University would be operating on the same budget as it did in 2006.
Hemenway said that if the cuts passed, the University would be concerned about maintaining its computing and wireless capabilities.
"We want to maintain the degree of computing we have," Hemenway said. "If that capability is cut, it's going to affect how efficiently people learn."
Hemenway said in the letter that the proposed budget cuts would mean a reduction of $70,000 for the School of Pharmacy expansion and the School of Medicine-Wichita.
The Regents suggested a 5 percent cut for 2010 in addition to the 2 percent cut for
SEE BUDGET ON PAGE 3A
Graph by Drew Bergman
IMAGES AND ICONS
Tibetan artist to dicuss role of politics
BY BRANDY ENTSMINGER bentsminger@kansan.com
That mixture of politics and art will be
Born in Tibet, Gyatso includes political themes in his artwork that wouldn't sit well with the Chinese government.
Gonkar Gyatso left his home country for the freedom to pursue his art.
That mixture of politics and art w the focus of a talk Gyatso will give tonight at the Spencer Museum of Art.
Kris Ercums, curator of Asian Art at the museum, said Gyastso, who moved to England in the early 90s, blends images and icons of traditional Buddhism with references to popular culture.
Gyatso
Many of Gyatos's current pieces feature the silhouette of a Buddha
created from small stickers of familiar figures and characters such as Spiderman.
"It's colorful and fun and immediately recognizable," Ercums said. "But under the surface of it are all of these issues that it brings out."
Some of the Buddha silhouettes feature images such as the hammer and sickle, the symbol of the Communist Party. Ercums said much of Gyatso's work had political
undertones.
One example of a political theme in Gyatso's work is "Puzzle Buddha." The piece is an outline of a Buddha covered by a blank crossword puzzle. The clues for the puzzle are written in Chinese and related to political controversies and problems in Tibet.
"This is work that could not be done
in China or Tibet because it's so political." Ercums said.
Gyatso also completed a series of four self-portrait photographs titled "My Identity." In each photo Gyatso represents a different Tibetan identity: a traditional Tibetan, a Chinese Tibetan, a Tibetan in exile and a wealthy Tibetan in London.
"He really understands a lot of different perspectives." Ercums said.
Bill Woodard, director of communications at the museum, said the visit would bring a greater awareness about the situation in Tibet to the Lawrence community.
"We're providing a forum for a, perhaps, disenfranchised voice," Woodard said.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
SEE ARTIST ON PAGE 3A
Leslie Vonholten, program assistant
Nepalese police detain Tibetan exiles during a protest outside the Chinese embassy in Kanduman, Nepal, on Aug. 10. Tibetan artist Gonkar Katyar explores political themes and events, such as protests, in his artwork.
Tibetan artist Gonkar Gyatso combines popular culture, politics and tradition in his artwork. With the recent Olympic games and controversy surrounding Tibet and China, the Spencer Museum of Art decided to bring a Tibetan artist to attend at the museum.
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
index
Classifieds. 4A
Crossword. 6A
Horoscopes. 6A
Opinion...7A
Sports...1B
Sudoku...6A
All contents, unless stated otherwise, © 2008 The University Daily Kansan
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