Huntington University officials are considering personnel cuts, increased fees and operational reductions as a means to eliminate a $1.5 million deficit in its 2012-13 budget.

Officials say the proposed cuts, which have been questioned by some staff and students, are the result of lower-than-expected enrollment and the university’s increasing contribution to student aid.

John W. Paff, vice president for University Relations, said the board of trustees is expected to approve most of the cuts during its January meeting.

Although officials had predicted an enrollment boost this fall, Huntington’s total enrollment actually dropped by 16 students – depleting the school of anticipated tuition revenue.

In addition, officials said the school has had to put more money toward financial aid as state and federal aid have dwindled.

While the school was able to balance its $30 million budget this year by dipping into reserve funds, next year, officials said, they will run out of options if they don’t take action.

As part of the cuts, “the school will eliminate or delay filling two staff positions and four faculty positions that are currently vacant or are expected to become vacant following planned departures or retirements at the end of this academic year,” the university said.

Paff could not confirm that all the departures were voluntary.

Additionally, two staff positions will be eliminated by merging roles, four staff positions will be reduced to part-time and three part time staff positions will be eliminated. Several staff members will also have reduced summer hours.

Although the changes aren’t yet official, Paff said faculty and staff affected by the changes have been notified.

“Being a Christian organization we wanted to be as kind as we could,” Paff said. “We wanted to give them as much notice as we could.”

In total, staff changes will save the university $600,000, Paff said. The university also plans to save $900,000 through operational cuts, such as doing away with landlines, renegotiating contracts, extending the replacement time for technology and other measures, and by raising revenue through adding student parking and graduation fees and other measures.

Despite the budget cuts, officials said they are continuing to expand their academic programs and other offerings.

The faculty recently approved development of a new major in heuristics design and technology, a problem-based curriculum. And the university plans to bring academic programs to Parkview Health’s Randallia campus in 2012, according to a statement.

Paff said the university also recently hired a bowling coach – a move he thinks will bring a new group of students to campus – and is advertising for several staff positions.

Earlier in December, Huntington University President G. Blair Dowden met with students and faculty to address the budget cuts.

Huntington sophomore Stephanie Morin said that while most students were satisfied with the discussion, others were left with questions about the university’s priorities.

“Students are concerned about what direction the university is headed in,” she said. “They’re wondering how the budget cuts are going to shape the future of our school.”

Morin said some students are particularly concerned about the treatment of Norris Friesen, senior vice president for academic affairs and dean of the faculty.

According to the Huntingtontonian, the campus newspaper, Dowden sent students an email this month announcing Friesen was stepping down at the end of the year to assume the role of professor of German and director of cross-cultural programs.

Several faculty members have also expressed concern over the changes.

“There were quite a few faculty questions about the nature of the personnel cuts, and I don’t think the answers were always satisfactory to those who asked them,” history professor Dwight Brautigam told the Huntingtontonian after he learned of the cuts from Dowden.

“I wish I had confidence that the adjustments we heard about today would solve our budget difficulties for next year and beyond, but I am not confident that this is the case.”

dhaynie@jg.net