Story printed in Buffalo News contains incorrect statement

To the Editor:

The recent story about UB in The Buffalo News authored by Professor Mark Shechner contains a statement associated with my name that is incorrect.

Professor Shechner wrote: "In January, Robert J. Wagner, UB's vice president for finance, issued a report detailing the deterioration of the budget for libraries, computer services, business services and information technology, among other things. Since 1990-91, the budget for those services has been reduced by 24 percent."

The report he is referring to, which was circulated to vice presidents, deans, Faculty Senate Budget Priorities Committee and others, notes that University Facilities sustained a total reduction of 24.2 percent. This was a combination of base allocation reductions, savings factors and the additional costs related to new facilities on both campuses. Nowhere in the report does it state that all the services noted by Professor Shechner were reduced by 24 percent. It is not true. In fact, areas listed in the article exclude facilities and that is the one area in University Services that has had the most significant reduction. The impression left with the reader, however, is that all the services units listed were reduced by this amount.

I know that this is a "story" and is identified as such, but I find it unacceptable when data are used inaccurately. I would have been pleased to correct this inaccuracy if asked. I was not.

Most disturbing to me is that this type of "story telling" goes on frequently, it is often inaccurate, it is stated as fact and there is not adequate effort made to secure the correct information. On occasion when the official information is provided, it is ignored.

Disagreement on the information sources or the analysis is part of the process. I support that, but reporting information falsely is not. It diminishes the value of the discourse.