Last year the university received $122 million in funding from the state of Delaware, according to Rep. James Johnson (D-Wilmington), a member of the Joint Finance Committee.
According to Delaware.gov, the JFC is made up of the six members of the House of Appropriations Committee and the six members of the Senate Finance Committee, and is responsible for deciding the state's budget appropriations.
Johnson said this year, Gov. Jack Markell recommended that the university's budget be cut down to $117 million. Johnson said he attributes this to the state of the economy and the fact that Markell is trying to stretch out his budget.
Executive vice president and treasurer Scott Douglass said the budget cut is understandable. He said the state economy has been profoundly impacted by the national economy, and the governor is doing what is necessary. Douglass said it is not just the university's budget that is being cut.
"We are on a string of constraints," Johnson said.
State employees took a salary cut of 2.5 percent last year.
These kinds of constraints have existed for the past two or three years, Johnson said.
"The university understands Delaware's difficult financial position," Harker told the JFC Feb. 4, according to a UDaily press release. "And yet we find the resulting cuts to UD's budget unfortunate, primarily because we understand the impact those cuts will have not only on the university but on the larger Delaware community."
The university's Center for Applied Business and Economic Research issued a report showing the economic impact of stimulus money given to the university. Harker used this report in his speech to show how greatly the university impacts the economy.
"According to the forecast, the $56 million in stimulus funding that UD has won so far is expected to generate $160 million in economic impact nationwide," Harker said. "The effect within Delaware is significant, as well. That $56 million should yield $98 million in-state — nearly twice the federal investment — and fund jobs for more than 1,000 Delawareans during the life of the projects."
The restoring of the entire budget will help with projects such as Vehicle-to-Grid and the Chrysler development.
Vehicle-to-Grid technology was developed by Willett Kempton and research fellow Jasna Tomic. It gives electric car owners the option to store electricity in their car battery and then give that energy back to the grid for a cash refund.
"AutoPort will retrofit 100 V2G cars over the next year and expects the number of car conversions to grow from the hundreds into thousands," Harker said. "With every thousand conversions expected to generate about 250 new jobs, the potential benefit to Delaware is extraordinary."
Harker said the Chrysler project will prove valuable because all industries that drive the economy will have a place at the new site acquired by the university, including energy, environmental technologies, engineering, health sciences and translational medicine industries.
Even in the reconstruction of the plant to prepare for the development, the university is providing jobs for at least 100 people, Harker said.
"I think the university has great potential with Chrysler," Johnson said.
Aside from the budget being restored, Harker said he would like additional money to be put into the Chrysler development.
"You want to invest in the university for two reasons," Douglass said. "Because it creates a talented workforce and creates intellectual property."
He said intellectual property includes inventions designed by the university. Douglass said when the university invents things, it creates opportunity.
"The university remains deeply committed to the state, its leadership and its economic priorities to Delaware's workforce, its families and its students," Harker said.
Johnson said the JFC will make its final decision about the budget restoration after the general assembly votes on it. The university should have its answer by July.
"We will most likely stick to the $117 million," he said.
Douglass said out of the university's total budget of $800 million, the $5 million cut is not that much.
"We will have to live with it," said Douglass.
is a member of the 
Be the first to comment on this article!