Difficult times could lie ahead for Stony Brook as the campus deals with a $7.3 million budget cut from the state operating budget- slightly down from the original $8.3 million proposed cut – as legislatures try to reduce the staggering $4.6 billion New York State deficit for 2009-10.

“Across the board” departments on campus will each deal with a three percent cut – not limited to just academics – said Dan Melucci, Associate Vice President for Strategy, Planning and Analysis. “Three percent is significant but not staggering,” Melucci said. “Three percent would not be a catastrophe.” Students across campus will notice the cut mostly in the hiring of more adjunct professors instead of full-time faculty because it is cheaper to hire several adjunct professors for $4,000 per course than one full-time faculty member for $90,000 a year, according to Melucci. But despite the cut, faculty salaries will remain the same.

Although adjunct and full-time faculty are both equally qualified to teach, full-time professors have more time to devote to on-campus research and after school activities. The Art Department, which is not looking to hire any full-time faculty because all the positions are filled, will be hiring less part-time faculty. “We will not be able to hire as many part-time faculty in Spring 2009 due to the cut to our budget,” said Jessica Rotolo a staff associate for the art department speaking on behalf of Anita Moskowitz, chairperson for the art department.

“We’ll survive,” Melucci said. The school will do everything not to reduce the number of classes offered, according to Melucci.

Tuition will also be affected. An increase in tuition will be “at least part of the solution,” according to Melucci but the administration is not sure when or how much of an increase will occur.

Assistant Chief of Police Douglas Little would not comment on how the budget cuts will affect his department since it is still too early to tell. Little did say in the past the administration has never compromised security. According to Little, the administration “will never let safety or security be jeopardized.” The campus will have some time to get used to the cuts. For the fall 2008 semester, President Kenny will use some of the school’s savings to soften the blow by making departments on campus “soak up” only one and a half percent of the cut according to Melcucci.

However, come spring 2009, the campus will be forced to absorb the full three percent according to Melucci.