As the UT Board of Trustees prepares to meet Thursday for its annual

meeting, questions are arising as to how a budget can be approved for the

university if the General Assembly does not approve a state budget of its

own.

“The university budget is the center part of discussion at the annual

meeting,” said UT President Wade Gilley. “It applies to everyone in a

significant degree and will impact everybody.”

UT administrators and trustees are currently discussing options should a

budget agreement not be reached.

“We are planning on asking the board for a continuing budget,” Gilley said.

“That way essential services could still be provided for the

university.”

Among the essential services being considered are a limited police force,

health, traffic and safety workers, and a certain amount of workers for

research labs.

Gilley has said that he is no longer confident a budget will be passed

anytime soon. Legislators have until midnight June 30 until the new fiscal

year begins.

The issues of tuition hikes and and an increase of student activities fees

might have to be held until a final budget is approved.

In the meantime, the trustees will be meeting Wednesday in several

committees designed to deal with various campus issues.

The Advancement and Outreach Council will meet at 12:30 p.m. in rooms C and

D at the Thompson-Boling Arena dining room. The Academic Programs and

Planning committee will meet at 11:30 at the Thompson-Boling Arena dining

room. The Finance and Administration Committee will meet at 3 p.m. in the

board room at Andy Holt Tower.

On Thursday a special presentation will be given at 9 a.m. in 118

Veterinary Medicine Bldg. that will feature a faculty panel on “Striving

for the Top 25 of Public Research Universities.”

The 2000 Annual Meeting of the Board of Trustees will begin at 1 p.m. in

rooms A, B, and C of the University Club on Thursday.