After $200,000 in state funds were cut from UF's Documentary Institute, supporters of the institute argue that it was unfairly targeted by the dean of the College of Journalism and Communications.
The college will lose $580,000 as part of UF's $47 million worth of budget cuts. Aside from three vacant faculty and staff positions that will be eliminated, the institute is the only area of the college affected by the cuts.
The institute is a two-year graduate program in which students create documentary films.
Since 1998, students from the program have earned a number of honors, including two student Emmy Awards and several student Academy Award nominations.
John Wright, the college's dean, said he is aware of the institute's accomplishments. But with 17 students enrolled, it's still the smallest program in the college.
"My goal is to maintain our reputation and remain one of the elite programs in the country," Wright said.
The institute has enough foundation money to continue running for about a year. Current students will still receive a $5,500 budget for each two-member team to finish their thesis films, but they will lose other benefits, such as having guest speakers and free equipment repairs.
Wright said he is committed to raising private funds to keep the institute going, but some faculty and students say his efforts won't be enough.
Wright would have to raise more than $4 million in discretionary donations to make up for the lost state funds - a "fantasy" effort, according to Churchill Roberts, the institute's co-director.
Ana Habib, a sophomore in the program, said the potential loss of the program could affect the institute's reputation in the long run.
"If the school doesn't think the institute is important enough to save, it devalues my degree," Habib said.
Carlos Torres, a sophomore in the institute, spoke on behalf of the group at Wednesday's telephone conference with the Board of Trustees.
He said the lack of transparency in the dean's decision concerns him.
"This program has vision," Torres said. "Up until now, UF was leading the pack."
