School budget shortfall - Essay Example

1. a. The school currently has three sources of funds: the federal government, the industry and not-for-profit. The fund from the federal governmentis by far the largest in terms of actual amount and percentage. In 2000, the fund from the government is $244,757,638 in actual value or around 62% of the entire funds. It is followed by the not-for-profit organization with $57,498,288 which comprises around 15% of the entire source. Lastly, the industry, which is represented by private corporations, had only 5% of the entire fund.

This is translated into $18,454,590 actual amount. The numbers, specifically the percentages of each source relative to the entire fund has indeed changed through time. In the year 2009, the federal government had a contribution amounting to $340,728,694 or 49% of the entire source. It is still the major source, but is it 12% lesser than its original share. The not-for-profit source hardly grew in 2009 in terms of percentage share, posting at 16.6%. Indeed, the industry percentage has grown to 8% from 4% in 2000 and 2% in 2005.

However, these changes are not significant as the government still dominates followed by not-for-profit. Indeed, the school needs support from the private sector as well and this is actually a welcomed development. This however does not in any way say that the university is becoming increasingly corporate. b. There is something ironic about the claim of increasing corporate influence. As seen in the table, the figure for the Haas School of Business is the lowest. The total amount was recorded at $203,807 or only 07% of the over-all expenditure.

This means that the business department of the school actually has the least budget among the other departments. This is clearly in contrast to the claim that the university is increasingly becoming corporate. c. There is a great divide in the distribution of funds. The science courses such as biology, engineering and chemistry are the top three departments in terms of expenditure, excluding the organized research units. Excluding research, the engineering department consumes 30% of the entire fund, with a total amount of $85,637,408.

Next to engineering is biology which has a total amount of $51,720,595. Lastly, we see the Chemistry department eating up 18% of the total fund of $30,204,281. On the other hand the arts and humanities and business courses receive small percentage shares. Social sciences, Arts and Humanities and the School of Business together comprise only 2% of the over-all expenditure. d. The large expenditure in science course is associated with the needs of these courses. Science courses require up to date equipments, research materials and state of the art laboratories.

It is the equipment which largely comprises the bulk of its expenditures. This is understandable as physical sciences indeed need large costs.