What Does $100,000 Mean to You?

In the context of the overall budget for a college $100,000 may not seem like a lot of money, but an unexpected expense such as this could cause a significant shift in priorities - especially, for institutions already struggling with budget cuts. Consider, for example, new faculty lines that you are hoping to fill or that promotion that you've been working for. What about the new computer lab or technology you've been waiting for? Even the new course or program you're developing. $100,000 may seem like a small amount of money, but imagine the ripple effect it's loss could create. Wired Campus: New Phone Fee Could Cost Colleges $450-Million

On Dec. 11 the American Council on Education sent a letter to the Federal Communications Commission protesting a change in something called the “universal service fund.” The fund, run by the FCC, is used to subsidize service in rural and low-income areas, providing customers affordable rates.

The change, proposed by telecoms AT&T and Verizon, would charge institutions 85 cents per assigned telephone number, according to an earlier letter drafted by the council. Previously, colleges were charged fees using a formula based on their revenues. The Association for Information Communications Technology Professionals in Higher Education has estimated that, with the new fee-per-phone number plan, higher education’s contribution to the fund would jump from $60-million each year to approximately $450-million. The average college or university would pay about $100,000 annually.

photo by ~~Tone~~