Tyler Whetstone
Beginning next fall Trevecca’s residential assistants’ scholarships will be cut in half as part of a larger plan to cut at least $1.2 million from the university’s annual budget.
All 34 students who currently serve as either a night RA or a regular RA are compensated by free room and board, which for 2013-2014 was valued as a $7,788 scholarship. This fall, however, RAs will only be compensated for room, which will be $2,015 per semester or $4,030 for the year.
The university is in the midst of preparing a budget that will likely include at least $1.2 million in cuts. That number could fluctuate as numbers of incoming freshman increase and decrease.
According to Steve Harris, associate provost and dean of student development, student development was told they were to cut at least $200,000 from this year’s budget as part of their help in cutting Trevecca’s costs.
The deduction will save Trevecca $137,000 next year once next year’s room and board numbers are finalized.
“So every year that room and board has gone up, their pay has gone up because it is considered a scholarship,” Ronda Lilienthal, associate dean of students for residential life, said. “We wouldn’t choose to have to make this decision unless it was very necessary.”
Current RAs have had the opportunity to pick up applications for next year already. For anyone else interested in becoming an RA there are two mandatory meetings next week that applicants must attend one of, Monday at 10 a.m. and Tuesday at 3 p.m. Both meetings will be held in Boone Business Building room 115.
