Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, March 15, 1991 TAG: 9103150573
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: MADELYN ROSENBERG HIGHER EDUCATION WRITER
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG LENGTH: Medium
Animal Industry Day, which is part of Agri-Tech but 17 years older, will be held July 12 as scheduled. Officials expect the entire program to resume in 1992.
"The budget reductions have been so terrible we can't spend a penny we don't have to spend," said Andy Swiger, associate dean of the school.
Few state dollars are used for the event, which is underwritten by private sponsors.
But the university does provide personnel, said Dean James R. Nichols. "It takes a lot to put this together. With the added work load, because of budget constraints and everything else, we thought it would be prudent to defer it this year.
"We've lost a lot of people over here. . . . We have to conserve in any and every way possible."
The event attracts farmers, legislators and industry leaders from across the state.
"It was a nice affair and it gave the college a chance to show off - to show and tell what we were doing to industry and legislators and certainly to the general public," Swiger said. "It's a very positive event. We're disappointed we don't get to do it. But it would not be prudent to divert our energies to that at this point in time."
Nichols, who will be retiring at the end of the year, said if he had his druthers, he wouldn't cancel the event.
"That's one of the last things I wanted to do. I think it's brought so much good recognition to the college. . . . But eventually we came to the realization that we just had to."
Sponsors have already agreed to back some of the events for 1992, Nichols said. "We'll be better prepared by then. We'll know what people we'll have available and we can plan accordingly with a reduced staff - we can plan a quality program that fits resources we have. This time, we just didn't know what we could count on."
Nichols said he did not know whether a third or possible fourth round of budget cuts would eliminate more staff members from the college.
"There was just uncertainty about everything."
Animal Industry Day, which traditionally attracted a large crowd to hear a nationally known speaker and enjoy a barbecue spread on Friday, will be offered as usual this year with educational sessions on beef, horse, swine and sheep research.
Complete details will be scheduled in the near future.
The event usually attracts between 1,800 and 2,400 people.
by CNB