“Clearly, making the difficult and ongoing budget decisions have been the most difficult part of my job as a trustee,” she said in an e-mail. “It is not easy to raise tuition when we know our students and their families are struggling financially.”

Woodard expressed similar concerns about increases to tuition costs. She said tuition increases cannot continue.

“We have just got to put a stop to increased tuition,” she said.

Although maintaining high academic standards requires funding, Woodard said some students might not have the ability to enroll at MSU because of high costs.

“I am very concerned that we may out price the ordinary individual from coming or going to college,” she said.

The university has to deal with a new reality, especially in light of the recent possible program and department cuts, Byrum said.

“At the end of the day, budgets must be balanced and we must deal with the reality of the bleak revenue projections,” she said.

The university has a commitment to ensure quality programs and standards, but trustees do hear student concerns, Woodard said.

“I just want students to understand that yes, we do hear them, (and) yes, we do have empathy for them,” she said.

MSU President Lou Anna K. Simon said Woodard and Byrum worked hard, especially considering the challenges faced by the university this year.

“By any definition, this year was a difficult one with the economic circumstances the university has faced,” she said.

“Both Trustees Byrum and Woodard have worked hard to learn about the university and to act in a way that protects its long-term reputation.”

Byrum said she anticipates more difficult decisions in the coming year because of declining revenues.

“These decisions will help define and shape MSU far into the future and must be made with great care and deliberation,” she said.

Being on the board of a large university brings many opportunities to learn new things, Woodard said.

“I’m still learning,” she said. “Both from the university as well as from the students themselves.”