TUCSON, Ariz. — The clock is ticking for the University of Arizona to finalize a plan to solve its budget crisis.
However, a meeting held Monday has sent conflicting messages about where the university's plan stands.
There are nine days until the university's deadline to submit its plan to address its financial concerns, but right now we're hearing conflicting reports.
UArizona is looking at a $240 million shortfall. To tackle this issue, the university senate has been meeting with President Robbins.
After a meeting Monday afternoon, there were reports of Robbins saying there will "100%" be employee layoffs in sports and ticket-price increases for fans.
However, a senate member who was at the meeting tells News 4 Tucson that President Robbins did not speak concretely about those changes.
"Nothing happened. We didn't hear any specific measures. Nothing. Zero," said Dr. Johann Refleski, with the university senate.
Dr. Johaan Refleski explains he's frustrated with how the meeting played out.
"We cannot really proceed. Most people in the senate feel ignored because we are there to actually discuss and review and advise what we feel our constituency would want to see but we saw nothing," said Dr. Refleski. "I believe that the executive of the senate will call for an emergency meeting next week... where we demand to see a draft of a plan."
With the university's deadline looming, he, along with the rest of the UArizona community, are left waiting to see if these possibilities of cuts and price hikes will become reality.
That deadline is set for Dec. 15.
UP TO SPEED