One college may be reducing funds to meet budgets and in turn cutting some Reno jobs.

Last month Nevada Higher Education Chancellor Jim Rogers said it is planned to cut 14 percent from its budget, including 70 faculty positions at the University of Nevada at Reno. The positions are currently vacant, according to an article by the Reno Gazette-Journal.

“The Nevada System of Higher Education has been forced to cut its already lean campus budgets in ways that have a direct, negative and severe impact on its students,” Rogers said in the article. “The system must now attempt to deal with the new reality of reducing course offerings and creating overcrowded classrooms. Students will take longer to graduate, and many will not graduate at all.”

It has been reported the 14 percent cuts are necessary for the 2009-2010 budget. The University of Nevada at Reno also could lose its marching band and contracts for 36 faculty members may not be renewed. The University has started a hiring freeze for the coming year, and many of the 70 positions to be cut are part of core disciplines such as English, mathematics, biology, chemistry, nursing and journalism.

If the positions are eliminated, it would save the university $8.8 million, less than one-third of the $31.2 million target under a 14 percent cut. The remaining $22.4 million would come out of academics.

“If these numbers are real, we’re going to have to look at programs,” University President Milton Glick said in the article. “You can’t take out $30 million and leave programs intact. It’s not something we look forward to doing. We’d have to do it with the consultation of faculty and appropriate students.”

The proposed cuts also are affecting Truckee Meadows Community College and Western Nevada College. TMCC has eliminated 27 positions and doesn’t plan to fill another 46 vacancies in administration, faculty and classified staff. WNC has 35 vacant positions that will remain unfilled to meet budget restrictions.