Daily new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1897-1906, 1901-06-24
FINANCIAL COMMITTEE
Made a Hot Report to the Board
of Regents.

Made Hot Report otfIe Board
of Regents.
They Found that Things Ind Been Run
Very RecklesslY-No Attention Paid
10 Desires of the Legislature Expen
ditures always in Excess Of Approprl
ations-Serious Dilemma Faced by
y Them-Solution Proposed.
Among the many interesting things
that have been called to the attention
of the Board Of Regents is that of the
finances Of the University 1t will
be well remembered that the old board
left big hole for the new board to
I'LL with the statement that they
didn't care to hamper them with any
suggestions as TO how to meet it.
Below is given the state of affairs
as found by the committee. TO pay
the debt which has been recklessly
piled up by the old board would be to
close the University down for the
next year. This cannot be thought
of and it has been determined to keep
the school going and turn over the
deficit to the next legislature for re-
lief. The report of the committee Of
which Mr.. e. NJ. Grant is a member
is as follows:
To the Board of Regents,
West Virginia University.
y Your Finance Committee begs to
report herewith that the committee
has examined the orders, acquisitions,
vouchers, drafts, and reports of the
Auditor and Treasurer Of the Jniver-
sity for the year beginning June |,
1900, and ending May 81, 1901, and
have checked bank balances called for
in these statements; have examined
and checked all investments, and find
the accounts Of the University in
balance, and all moneys and invest
ments properly accounted for.
In regard to the general condition
OF the finances of the University, we
find that according to the agreement
made with number Of professors, by
authority of the late board of regents
there is due and claimed by them for
services already performed, during the
three Summer Quarters taught at the
University, the sum Of $13, 5000 90.
As these services were rendered in
good faith, your committee recon.
mends that they be paid in full, but
as any attempt to pay any considerable
part OF the amount at this time would
reduce the available funds of the
University to such an extent as to
seriously cripple its work, your COM
mittee further recommends that the
pnapd nfiia liz, ~
of these claims, and recommend to
the next legislature that an appropri-
alton be made TO discharge this in
debtedness, which your board found
already incurred when it came into
office.
In addition to this Indebtedness for
the Summer Quarters, your committee
finds that services have been engaged
which will call for expenditures by
October |, 1901, of approximately
$12, 900 over and above the funds ap-
propriated by the Legislature for the
administration OF the University, and
the funds available from all other
sources This deficiency is nearly all
due to the late administration engag-
ing the services of teachers and lee
turers for the Summer Quarters pay
ing part of the expenses out of the
regular salary fund, thereby making
this deficit of nearly $12, 900 in that
fund, in addition to the $13, 500 SO
above mentioned. Your committee is
Of the opinion that this deficit Of
$l2, 900 should be treated in the same
manner as the claims the Summer
Quarters proper, and therefore recon-
mends that the board ask the next
legislature to appropriate sufficient
sum TO cover this deficit, as any at
tempt to meet it now out of your
available funds would practically dis
organize the old established courses
of the University, and almost destroy
its efficiency, in fact would be blow
at the University which it would take
years to recover from.
Your Committee also reports that
to continue the present full force of
professors and assistants in all of the
courses now conducted, regardless of
the moneys available, would make
acOther deficit at the end of the next
fiscal year of nearly $4,000. Your
Committee would, therefore. strongly
recommend that the Board abolish
some departments, consolidate others,
and otherwise reduce fixed expenses
so as to come clearly within the funds
appropriated by the Legislature, and
funds otherwise available for the adj
ministration of the University.
Your Committee is strongly OF the
opinion that the people OF the state,
through the Legislature, desire to deal
generously with their chief institu-
tibn Of learning, but will not longer
tolerate the mourning Of heavy expen-
ses beyond those lawfully provided,
and that further pursuance in such
course can only result in injury TO
the University.
Your Committee further finds that