By Becky Pallack, Arizona Daily Star

University of Arizona President Robert Shelton answered faculty members' questions about the school's budget on Monday.

At times, the UA leader seemed dismayed by criticism from faculty members about the criteria used to cut this year's budget by about $19 million, after $77 million in state cuts last year.

He gave a short speech in which he reminded the faculty members that the process of changing the budget structure has been going on for a year and a half, and that hundreds of campus members participated in talks.

"I might have been mishearing, but there was a pretty persistent drumbeat about differential cuts," as opposed to across-the-board cuts, Shelton told the UA faculty Senate during a meeting Monday.

"We handed out very differential cuts, which I understand is controversial, causing a lot of pain and angst not only for the numbers but for what people interpret the numbers to mean about their programs," Shelton said.

College deans have received their budget cuts and are working on plans. Once finalized, the numbers will be made available to the whole campus as in years past, he said.

Law professor Andrew Silverman asked Shelton to describe the criteria used to make the differential cuts. Shelton said a program's ability to generate funds was first, then its overall impact on the state and its economic growth.

English professor John Ulreich asked Shelton about academic criteria, and Shelton said decisions about cuts to each academic unit are being made at the unit level.

Additionally, Ulreich asked about cuts that were made beyond the $15.8 million cut by the state this year.

The UA recently announced directing $600,000 in funding toward arts, humanities and social sciences projects and $12 million over a few years for hiring new faculty in the environmental sciences and biosciences. The money comes from cuts elsewhere, but administrators weren't trying to take advantage of the budget restructuring.

"We need some good news on this campus that says: We took an 18 percent cut last year, we're taking another 5 percent cut this year, but we are up to making hard decisions to invest in certain areas," Shelton said.

After the meeting, Ulreich said the $600,000 is a small amount compared with the nearly $5 million cut from the humanities. Jobs are in jeopardy, he said.

"Real people are really being hurt by what's going on," Ulreich said.

Morale is poor and faculty governance has deteriorated because faculty members are afraid to voice opinions about budget cuts, he said.

"People are discouraged, disheartened, skeptical," Ulreich said, but new forums for faculty members have potential.

A faculty blog for anonymous discussion has sprung up, and informal meetings are being held on campus to address some concerns aired on the blog.

During Monday's meeting, Shelton reminded the faculty members that there are more cuts to come. The state hasn't finalized its budget. Federal stimulus money helped ease cuts this year, including avoiding otherwise necessary furloughs, but the money runs out next year.

"We do have a cliff coming in 2012," Shelton said.