The Texas Woman's University Board of Regents on Friday approved a $232 million expense budget - a decrease of more than $20 million from the 2010-11 budget.
The university's state funding was reduced by $9.7 million, or 16 percent, said Brenda Floyd, TWU's vice president of finance and administration.
Those cuts included $8.4 million in general revenue and $1.3 million in benefits, she said.
"We had planned for that reduction," Chancellor Ann Stuart said. "As a result, we're able to present a balanced budget."
Floyd said the university has been preparing for the cuts for over two years, and the main concern was preventing students from being adversely affected.
The university has reduced the number of course sections it offers and has increased class sizes, she said, but those changes did not affect the degree programs.
The Texas Legislature also mandated several programs for which it did not provide funding.
"Unfunded mandates are really a challenge," Stuart said.
For example, adjunct faculty members are now eligible for health and retirement benefits, which is estimated to cost TWU about $250,000, university officials said.
Also this year, the state awarded TWU $2.18 million in other state funding - known as "hold-harmless" dollars - which the university will stow in a special projects account, Floyd said. University leaders will decide what do to with the money at a later date, she said.
"Texas needs to remember how important higher education is to job growth, economy growth," Stuart said.
TWU is adding to the workforce with programs such as nursing and counseling, she said.
She said higher education often becomes discretionary when it comes time to make federal and state budgets.
"I'm grateful the Legislature fought for education," Stuart said.
RACHEL MEHLHAFF can be reached at 940-566-6889. Her e-mail address is rmehlhaff@dentonrc.com.
