Science programs in many state schools are feeling the pinch of hard times, but there's an exception to the suffering: Universities in big energy-producing states are thriving, with some even gaining a competitive edge over their hurting counterparts by luring senior level faculty. Times are tough at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville (UTK). After taking a 5.8% hit in their approximately $750 million budget last year, they are facing an 8 to 20% cut in state funding this year, said William Dunne, the dean of the college of arts and sciences there. His college houses many of the biological sciences, and 33% of its $114 million budget comes from the state, he said. In response to the cuts, UTK is hiking tuition by 9%, eliminating lecturer positions, and asking tenured and tenure-track faculty to teach larger classes with more lab sections. The school is also cutting funds for...
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