Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, February 1, 1991                   TAG: 9102010766
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B-1   EDITION: EVENING 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: CHARLOTTESVILLE                                LENGTH: Medium

UVA CROWDING TO GET WORSE

Class crowding is expected to worsen next year because of the school's "very desperate budget situation," said Leonard W. Sandridge Jr., vice president for finance.

"You don't take . . . millions out of an operation and not see an impact. Things are getting worse . . . next fall is really going to test us," he said.

The state is facing a nearly $2 billion budget shortfall for the biennium. Gov. Douglas Wilder last year began ordering state agencies, such as the university, to cut their budgets.

The university has cut $45.7 million, or 12.8 percent, from its biennial budget. School officials say they have lost more than $92 million this budget period including the cuts effects on the school's auxiliary enterprises, employee fringe benefits and capital programs.

The financial impact of those losses is causing considerable anxiety among students and staff members, said President John T. Casteen III.

Employees question the state's furlough plan and the additional salary loss it involves, especially since staff members also fear there will be no money available for merit pay increases next year, said Casteen.

Chief among students' concerns is how many courses will be eliminated and how large classes will become, whether laboratory supplies and new library books will be in short supply and how much higher tuition will be.

"Student leaders are prepared to bear a sizable portion of their educational costs to insure the availability of classes," Casteen said.

While Virginia and out-of-state students already face a tuition surcharge of $200 and $1,000 respectively next year, student leaders are backing a General Assembly proposal that universities be given the flexibility to raise their tuitions even more to offset the budget cuts, Casteen said.

The school also lost construction funds when earmarked proceeds from the state lottery were diverted to help with the budget shortfall.

In other business, Edward Elson, the board's rector, announced Wilder had reappointed all four members of the board of visitors whose terms were to expire next month.

The members - Lyons Brown of Louisville, Ky.; Thomas Connally of Arlington; Patricia Kluge of Charlottesville;and Buford Scott of Richmond - each will serve a four-year term.