Fewer courses are available on the fall 2003 timetable than one year ago, according to Phil Certain, dean of the UW-Madison College of Letters and Science.
This fall, there are 2.57 percent fewer undergraduate courses offered in Letters and Science than last fall. Last year there was a 0.48 percent reduction in course offerings from the year prior.
Certain said this drop can be attributed to a combination of things, but is largely due to budget cuts.
Darrell Bazzell, vice chancellor administration for UW-Madison, said he agreed budget cuts are likely to blame.
\The cuts we're working on, the $250 million reductions again, apply July 1, so again you will begin to see those impacts with the fall semester primarily,"" he said.
Nevertheless, Bazzell said the university has set priorities in light of its fiscal struggles.
""We want to protect instruction, protect research and we want to protect student services. The challenge is, given the cuts, we cannot protect all of those areas so we are going to see impacts in each of those areas.""
Certain insists the number of courses currently being offered could change before classes actually begin next semester, but he is realistic about the prospects given the strict financial constraints the university is under.
""In the past, when the freshmen started registering in the summer, we may have opened extra courses when there was enrollment pressure. That [2.57 percent] may go back up,"" Certain said. ""But because of the budget cuts we really don't have the money to do that this summer necessarily.""
Even if courses are adjusted once new students begin enrolling, this likely means that only discussion sections will be added, while the percentages Certain cited are based on the number of lectures offered.
""We're a big college with lots of departments and we're trying to do the best that we can so that there will be a minimal impact on students,"" Certain said.
