That could happen next year, noted UT President Wade Gilley. UT instituted a hiring freeze this fall as a hedge, he said. There is no guarantee that the General Assembly is going to appropriate anything, or that the budget is going to be improved. It might be cut. It could also be used to maintain and replace academic-related equipment.
Campuses also use some of their rainy day reserves for campus improvements.
College finance officials said that although the state provides building and maintenance funds, it is not nearly enough. This practice, which is routine in higher education funding, came under unusual and intense review last week by the state Building Commission. Several planned Regents projects slated to be funded with campus reserves and other funds were put on hold. Two of the projects that were put on hold were at Walters State Community College in Morristown. Walters State President Jack Campbell said he could understand why the building commission was taking a conservative approach until state funding issues were resolved.