TU receives $1.9 million in budget cuts

By Sarah Sternhagen, Editor-in-Chief

Gov. Wes Moore issued mid-year budget cuts throughout the state, including reductions to the University System of Maryland. Towson University’s budget has been reduced by $1.9 million as a result.

The budget cuts come as part of a state wide, $148.3 million reduction issued on July 17. The cuts come mid-year, meaning TU did not have the ability to factor the cuts into their operating budget for the 2025 fiscal year when it was approved back in May. Towson’s current budget is $643 million.

According to Towson’s Chief Financial Officer Ben Lowenthal, Towson has already issued plans to deal with the cuts. All departments at Towson have been asked to reduce their spending by 1% this year to combat the budget cuts, Lowenthal said. He expects that should save the University approximately $1.3 million. 

“Whenever we do have the unfortunate scenario of budget reductions, what we’re going to focus on is trying to absorb them as best as possible without impacting our student population,” Lowenthal said

TU has issued a hiring pause. All open staff and faculty positions will undergo review to determine the need to fill the position, as well as a delay to start searching to fill the roles at least 90 days after the position is vacated. Lowenthal said they expect the pause to save $800,000 in the next fiscal year.

Katie Maloney, who is Towson’s Associate Vice President for Government Relations and Public Policy, said cuts like these are not atypical when the state does not raise the expected funds.

“We’re keenly aware of our revenue estimates,” Maloney said. “We watch this very carefully. [Reports] come out every quarter, so it’s not uncommon for the state to have to adjust the budget based on the new revenue estimates.”

Approximately 31% of TU’s operating budget comes from the state, according to Lowenthal.

Maloney said the state does not look at specific institutions’ budgets when deciding these cuts, but rather takes a large-scale approach. In the governor’s budget reductions, University of Maryland and St. Mary’s College of Maryland had specific programs outlined to reduce spending on. Maloney said that was an anomaly, and those programs were reevaluated and determined to have more funds than previously thought necessary. So, they were reduced.

Towson is not named specifically in the governor’s report. TU’s cuts come from the larger USM $19 million reduction. 

“The $1.9 million is sort of the Towson share,” Lowenthal said.

The operating budget is what saw the cuts. The capital budget, which was used for the new Health Professions Building and is being used for the Smith Hall renovations, is not affected. Those are project-based budgets given to Towson and come from separate funds than the operating budget.

Facilities on campus have already taken action to deal with the 1% reduction. Campus Rec’s hours of operation have decreased from last semester’s 101.5 operating hours per week to only 64 hours.

Cuts are expected to impact TU for the rest of the 2025 fiscal year which includes the current fall and spring 2025 semester. Summer programs are self-sufficient and will not be affected, according to Lowenthal.

Colleges across the nation are receiving budget cuts for various reasons, COVID relief money gone, rising operations cost and lower student enrollment. A Minnesota college eliminated its music program in June including 42 degree programs and 50 minors. 

Lowenthal said cutting degree programs is not on Towson’s mind.