SLIPPERY ROCK — Robert Smith stood before a crowd of about 500 students, faculty and staff at Slippery Rock University Thursday, assuring them he will not let the university fold in the face of Gov. Tom Corbett's budget cuts.

“We work so hard to make a great university. I'm not willing to have that dismantled,” he said. “We did nothing wrong.”

SRU's president said the main goal of the public meeting was to discuss the impact of the budget and offer a “State of Slippery Rock University” presentation.

“This is a work in progress and we don't know exactly when it's going to come out,” Smith said.

Smith said the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education requested $482.5 million from the state and received $244.5 million, a total cut of $238 million.

Smith said state commitment has not been this low since 1983, when state commitment started. The cuts equate to $2,460 per student, but Smith said that will not be the amount tuition would be raised.

“This is not going to happen,” Smith said.

SRU's predicted total funding, without a tuition increase, for 2011-12 is $84.3 million, $18.6 million of which comes from the state. The total expenditures are expected to be $106.5 million, leaving a $22.2 million shortfall.

With a 5 percent tuition increase, funding would be $86.3 million, leaving a $20.2 million shortfall.

Smith said the university cannot predict what its workers' salaries will be next year because the contracts for all seven labor unions at SRU expire June 30.

“We have not budgeted salary increases because we don't know what they are,” Smith said.

Smith said he does not know how the budget will affect payroll or jobs.

“We don't have any idea what it means in terms of people,” Smith said.

He said he will not make any cuts until the state finalizes its budget.

Despite the hardships, Smith said the university plans on remaining true to its core values while navigating the budget. Those values include putting students first and involving them and faculty in the budget discussion.

“We involve you in this, it's an integral part of shared governance,” Smith said.

The crowd remained quiet during most of the meeting, occasionally offering applause, and, at the end of the meeting, a few audience members asked questions related to the budget.

Smith said cuts will not be made across the board because that violates the university's strategic plans and is a “formula for mediocrity.”

“We do not cut across the board ... there will be differentials,” Smith said.

Despite the cuts, Smith said development at the university continues because the money used to fund capital projects is different from the school's operating budget.

“It's not because I don't want to, it's by law,” Smith said.

If SRU decides not to use that money, he said, the state will give it to another institution.

“Why would I give up the future of the university ... by giving away that money?” Smith said.

Although he is concerned about the cuts, Smith noted that the state's budget is not finalized; it still has to be passed by the Legislature. He urged students and faculty to contact legislators to show them the importance of SRU.

Smith also tried to demonstrate the impact of the university on the state.

“We raised the bar and the intellectual capacity of the commonwealth,” Smith said.

Smith also said the campus benefits taxpayers, generating $334 million, equal to 9,020 jobs. The state gains 5.5 percent on its investment in SRU, Smith said.

He also said many out-of-state students choose to stay in Pennsylvania when they graduate.

“Those are the stories that legislators, I think, want to hear,” Smith said.

Smith said those who have ideas related to the budget should post them at http://administration.sru.edu/president/budget/index.php.

“We're not going to fail Slippery Rock University. We are not going to fail our students,” Smith said. “We know what we need to do, and I need your help.”