The 16 deans of the University’s colleges came together to write a letter published Sunday that directly opposes the strain placed on their schools from proposed budget cuts.

The 364-word letter acts as the collective opinion from the University’s deans, expressing pride in the dedication of the staff despite the increased difficulty to “sustain the tradition of excellence at the University of Georgia.”

“Obviously when the letter was done there was a great deal of concern over actions being taking in the legislative community,” said Grady College Dean E. Culpepper Clark. “We were responding to that, and felt that if our students were pressing their concerns, we should join them and press ours.”

Due to higher faculty turnover rates, “the staff who support [the jobs opened by lost faculty members] will lose jobs, and the research funding or service income that faculty member would generate will be lost,” the letter stated. It also mentioned the ability of private institutions to lure in-demand faculty away from the University with more lucrative salaries.

Clark said he also felt positively about Monday’s student-led rally at the state Capitol.

“I’m glad that the deans took the initiative, because for a while it looked like the students were the only ones getting involved,” said Amanda Molloy, a senior from Marietta.

When the deans approached the Athens Banner-Herald about running the letter, editorial editor Jim Thompson ran it as a matter of normal business because he said the deans’ position on the situation is relevant and legitimate.

“Comments on the University budget situation have been evenly divided between people who say they are paid too much and folks that make the argument that the University is a real economic development tool, something that should not get cut,” Thompson said.