“It will be a two-year budget,” she said. “It’s very uncertain, though (Michigan) Gov. (Rick) Snyder has been very clear he wants to increase the number of people with four-year degrees and make them stay in Michigan. He sees the value of education but how that will be prioritized is yet to be seen.”

The budget proposal will be decided in mid-February. Simon said university officials assumed it would be subject to the same deficit as last year.

“We anticipated that the structural deficit could be about 10 percent,” she said. “If we’re correct and it’s 10 percent or less, then you won’t see much difference next year from this year.”

If the university’s budget estimation is off, however, the deficit could be as much as 13 percent.

“If the number is above 10 percent, then we’re going to have to do a bit more work,” Simon said. “It’s not going to be a severe change from this year to next year. We are relatively unique across Michigan campuses in actually trying to plan ahead for potential reduction.”

As the university moves forward in search of a new vice president for Student Affairs and Services, Simon said she strongly would encourage the committee to open a seat for a representative from RHA.

The committee will be reviewing candidates for the opening left by Lee June, who stepped down from his position Dec. 31, 2010.

“We will be looking nationwide,” she said. “There will be student participation on the committee. It is my intention that there will be a committee slot for RHA.”

Other representation on the committee will be from ASMSU and COGS, the Council of Graduate Students, she said.

ASMSU is MSU’s undergraduate student government.

Chelsea Satkowiak, president of RHA, said the university has been good about getting input from RHA on various issues.

“It’s very important for student input in this decision,” she said. “The person filling the position will be working closely with us as well as with other departments.”