ITHACA, N.Y. — Cornell University President David Skorton told The Cornell Daily Sun that he is deciding on the future of free bus passes for first-year students after the University Assembly (UA) called for the university to increase its subsidies to Tompkins Consolidated Area Transit (TCAT).

The UA recently voted in favor of increasing Cornell’s subsidies to TCAT, in light of a $700,000 annual budget deficit facing the university’s Transportation Services department. Approximately $500,000 of that deficit is caused by an increase in the transit system’s freshmen ridership.

The UA had previously considered passing a resolution to cut the free bus passes after determining that was the best solution to solve the deficit problem. However, after deliberating, the UA voted to ask the university to increase its subsidies. President Skorton has 30 days to respond to the request.

However, Skorton also told the newspaper that Cornell’s budget is barely balanced and that he is having difficulty finding half a million dollars that recurs each year in the budget. For the full story, click here.