At the height of the dot-com boom in 2000, it would have been inconceivable to even think about the word "reduction" with the phrase "computer sciences budget," let alone use them in the same sentence.
But since the bubble burst for the dot-com industry two years ago, America's colleges are feeling the sting. Here at UB, a sharp decrease in enrollment in the department of computer science and engineering has led to a slashed allocation in the budget.
That allocation, which is handed down annually by Mark Karwan, dean of the school of engineering and applied sciences, has decreased by $150,000 over the past three years.
The direct cause of this cut in the budget allocation, which is determined by the number of credit hours taught, is a decline in the number CSE majors. According to Bharat Jayaraman, the department's chairman, there are currently between 800 and 900 CSE majors. Three years ago the department had 1,200 to 1,300 majors.
"I think it's safe to say that computing had this boom that the other disciplines didn't. We are unique in this respect," said Jayaraman. "There was high enrollment around 2000 due to a euphoria surrounding the economy, the Internet, dot-coms. It seemed like a hot field to go into. I think reality set in a year or two ago."
While the department has been able to maintain a similar number of teaching assistants and has put more money into the 100-level classes despite reduced allocations, having fewer funds will affect the accessibility of department facilities such as labs, some of which may have to shorten their hours.
The department has also appealed to several professors to use grant money instead of department money to pay for desired supplies.
"There are some things we are doing so that the students won't feel the full effect of (the cuts)," said Jayaraman.
Some, however, would argue that those effects are already being felt.
"It limits the resources of the students and it's terrible," said Donna Vaccaro, a teaching assistant who teaches CSE 115. "It makes the course harder to get through because the students don't have the resources."
"We always get the short end of the stick in CS," she added.
Teaching Assistant Wes Fang said the lab closings damage interactions between students in the program.
"We don't really have a niche anymore where computer science students can get together to work," he said.
Over the past three years the department has spent a lot of money on one-time "capital improvements" like new facilities for teaching assistants, and doctoral and research students, said Jayaraman, but when enrollment is down there is only so much available money to spend on lab monitors, or even printer paper and toner.
Fang added that the current monetary situation recently forced a proposal to move teaching assistants' office hours into Capen labs, but computer science professors shot the plan down.
"It would have taken away from the attention we would be able to give to our students," said Fang.
Some students said they are surprised at the cuts in department budgets.
"I know it's a growing field and a lot of people drop the major, but I didn't realize (enrollment) has that affect on funding," said Steve Pfetsch, a freshman computer engineering major.
Jayaraman pointed out that while undergraduate enrollment is down, graduate enrollment is up, a trend that usually accompanies a sour economy as the dry job market causes students to stay in school longer.
"I think most computer science departments across the country are seeing something very similar," said Marianne Sullivan, the executive director of the computer science and engineering department.
At UB, department officials say they are focusing on the future.
"Computer sciences continues to be an exciting field to enter," said Jayamaran. "The future is bright."
And because of the dot-com implosion, that future doesn't include students who enter the field digging for gold.
"During the Internet boom a lot of students were in this for only the monetary value of it," said Fang. "(The burst bubble) has actually been a filter for us. You don't come to this major anymore just because you're going to make a lot of money."
Although enrollment is down from three years ago, it is over three times the size it was 10 years ago, and Karwan highlighted the fact that although allocations have decreased, self-generated funds through grants and financial gifts from corporations and alumni have strengthened the department financially.
"It's really a much stronger department than it was two or five years ago," he said. "(CSE) is one of the strongest departments in the university."
As the 1980s saw the computer transform from mainframe to personal computer, and the 1990s brought the computer network and the Internet, Jayamaran said this decade will be characterized by innovations in wireless technology. According to him, the department is on the cutting edge of related fields such as bioinformatics, computer security and biometrics.
"Wireless technology has become very important," he said. "Now, no matter where you are, you are part of a network, and there are many exciting challenges with that."
And though computer science enrollment is down, many students whom the deflated bubble has failed to discourage remain.
"I think it's too bad that they're losing funding because they have such a strong program now," said Matt Miller, a freshman computational physics major. "It'll be a shame if they have to cut back because they do a lot of great research in that department."
However, neither Miller nor Pfetsch, the freshmen computer engineering major, are worried about their prospects after graduation.
"The jobs are still out there," said Miller. "You just might
Photo: Meredith Forrest Kulwicki
