Recent Developments

["President's Office" <auemail@groupwise1.duc.auburn.edu>]

April 19, 2001

Dear Members of the Auburn Community:

	I am writing to report recent significant developments and to
recommend a course of action which I hope that many of you will choose
to take. Yesterday morning presidents and chancellors of other four-year
institutions joined me in a meeting with representatives of K-12, the
legislature, and the Governor's office. The purpose of the meeting was
to determine whether higher education would support a new proposed deal
concerning proration of this year's state funding for education.

	Step 1 in the deal involved our supporting a scheme that would
prorate K-12 allocations at about 3.4%, and would prorate higher
education allocations at 11.8%. Step 2 in the deal promised to make up
the difference between 11.8% and 3.4% for higher education by giving us
about $88 million out of the proceeds of a $100 million bond issue.

	While on the surface it may appear that this deal would solve
this year's budget crisis, we are convinced that it is the wrong
solution to the problem for higher education.   Consequently, the
four-year presidents and chancellors presented a united front in
rejecting the bond issue approach, especially if it were to be
predicated on unequal proration of K-12 and higher education.

	We saw several reasons for rejecting the approach reflected in
this proposed deal. 	First, it violates the principle of equality and
fairness that we have advocated since the start of the Special Session.

	Second, the proposed deal would set the precedent that whenever
education budgets are prorated in the future, K-12 must first be made
whole before funds come to higher education. The result would be a
principle of unequal proration. Our students, faculty, and staff would
be placed in a second tier for state funding, and would in effect be
assigned to the back of the education funding bus.

	Third, the proposed deal would erode, or perhaps render moot,
our position in the court case that is pending in the Alabama Supreme
Court. And finally, the proposed deal is bad public policy because it
would address current expenses by establishing for years to come a debt
service that would have to be funded out of the Education Trust Fund.

	In order to establish and explain this position publicly, the
presidents and chancellors held a press conference yesterday afternoon
to state why we could not accept the proposed deal.  We were joined by
the SGA presidents from around the state, and I am grateful for their
participation.

	The most recent development I want to report is the announcement
late this afternoon that Governor Siegelman will issue checks which
reflect approximately 3.76% proration for K-12, and 11.17% proration for
higher education.  I am disappointed, but hardly surprised, by this
announcement. Please be assured that we will proceed to the courts
without delay to oppose this unequal proration.

	Both Bill Pryor as Attorney General, and Don Siegelman as
Governor, continue to play critical roles in the unfolding drama of
proration . I ask that you contact these public officials immediately to
state your absolute opposition to any approach that fails to prorate all
of education equally and equitably. Please call or write within 24 hours
after you receive this message. Addresses are as follows.

Attorney General Bill Pryor
phone:  334-242-7401;  fax: 334-242-4891;
letters:  Alabama State House, 11 South Union St., Montgomery 36130

Governor Don Siegelman
phone:  334-242-7100; fax:  334-242-0937;
letters: Alabama State Capitol, 600 Dexter Ave., Montgomery 36130

	Once again, I want to thank you for your interest and support as
we work to resolve these difficult economic and political issues.

Sincerely,
William F. Walker
Interim President