The College of Health and Human Sciences will see its enrollment rise and its budget fall next fiscal year following Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s recommendation for a 2 percent cut in NIU funding.

While the number of applications to NIU increased as much as 40 percent last year, Health and Human Sciences has seen a 52 percent increase in freshman enrollment for next fall, Dean Shirley Richmond said.

“The college had about 2,500 students in fall 2004, so this continued growth in the face of more budget cuts will be a challenge,” Richmond said.

Some positions, such as support staff, have been or will be cut, she said.

“We do have some faculty vacancies that have not been filled because of budget reductions and probably will not be filled in the face of increasing cuts,” Richmond said.

Temporary faculty have been hired to fill some of the positions, she said.

Richmond also said smaller classes may be offered only once a year to make room for higher-priority classes.

The cuts come as some departments face rapidly growing career fields.

“There is no doubt gerontology will grow in importance as an academic specialty in the years ahead,” saidJohn Stolte, director of the gerontology interdisciplinary program. “This growth will be because of some profound demographic trends [such as] the aging of the ‘baby boomers.’”

Some courses may be offered alternately on campus and online via BlackBoard, Stolte said. He said one of the courses that might do this is IDSP 465, Issues in Gerontology.

Stolte said so far budget cuts have not affected gerontology classes that are required for a major, minor or graduate certificate in gerontology.

Not all health and human science departments will be affected by budget cuts, however.

NIU’s ROTC program will add a new class to its schedule in the fall, said Capt. Dale Burbank, assistant professor of military science.

Budget cuts do not affect faculty members because they are already paid by the federal government as part of the Army, Burbank said.

Despite the cuts, Richmond said the college will remain committed to its goal of aiding students.

“We do not want to reduce the number of classes, for we are committed to our students and the quality of our programs,” Richmond said. “We know students need to get their classes in a timely manner, and with the economy and cap on tuition, students should have the opportunity to complete a degree within four years.”