ISU faculty members are bracing themselves for possible budget cuts, but some say ISU Interim President Richard Seagrave’s proposals are a step in the right direction.

Seagrave proposed on Friday to shut down the university during winter break and other energy-saving measures to cut costs.

Faculty Senate President David Hopper said he believes Seagrave’s idea was “a prudent proposal.” He said the winter shutdown was a good idea.

“It’s a good way to raise $5 million without impacting too many people, particularly students, who will be on their break” said Hopper, professor of veterinary, diagnostic and production animal medicine.

However, he said the proposal is the kind of measure that will only work on a short-term basis.

“We cannot continue many of these things beyond a one-year term,” Hopper said. “Ultimately, we will have to reduce services and lay people off if the budget situation stays the way it is.”

Also, short-term solutions such as furloughing employees and applying tuition money to cutbacks can’t address the long-term budget shortfall, he said.

“The long-term cutbacks will probably have to made next year by [ISU] President [Gregory] Geoffroy if the current situation continues,” Hopper said.

Richard Freeman, adjunct instructor of electrical and computer engineering, said Seagrave’s proposals are “not bad.”

“It’s obvious we’re going to have to do something, and they seem to make sense,” he said.

Elgin Johnston, professor of mathematics, said he hoped the furloughs will not be necessary. He also said while closing the university during break is an option, faculty get a lot of work done during break.

“I think it could certainly have an impact on faculty productivity in terms of research,” he said.

Some faculty members said budget cuts were a result of bad financial policy.

“I can understand why the Legislature is making the budget cuts, but I think they’re the result of poor fiscal policy on the part of the Legislature,” Hopper said. “I would hope that they would look at raising some additional revenue.”

He said he was disappointed in the cutting of the state portion of the work-study program.

“I think that hurts the individuals who need financial assistance the most, and it’s the wrong place to make cuts,” he said.

John Sawyer, associate professor of agronomy, said he hopes the ISU community can work together to find the best possible solutions to the proposed budget cuts.

“I think Iowa State provides an important service to the state, and I hope we can continue that in the future,” he said.

Freeman said he was surprised at the level of the proposed budget cuts.

“I’m simply amazed that they think that higher education is going to continue at the same level and not be affected,” he said.

Johnston said he is responsible for much of the scheduling in the department, and not knowing how much will be cut is affecting planning.

“My biggest frustration is just the uncertainty,” he said “Not knowing exactly what the budget will be is making it hard to plan and making things uncertain for us and students.”