University President Joab Thomas is experiencing deja vu.

Thomas encountered budget cuts once during his presidency at the University of Alabama at Tuscaloosa. In the fall of 1981 during his first semester as president at Alabama, Thomas faced a 10 percent state funding cut.

Thomas said he is using his experience from the Alabama cuts to deal with the University's budget problems, which arose when Gov. Robert P. Casey cut the University's funding by $12.6 million in January and then, two weeks ago, proposed to freeze University funding at this year's spending level.

Thomas has handled the situation well, said Charles Hosler, acting executive vice president and provost. Hosler said Thomas' experience and his calm disposition have been instrumental in fighting the budget problems.

"He's a steady hand on the tiller," Hosler said.

Hosler said he has seen budget problems before at the University. In the late 1960s, Hosler said, the state delayed University funding, forcing the University to cut its budget by 6 percent. The University borrowed money to make ends meet, Hosler said, and laid off and fired some employees.

This year's budget cuts are not severe enough to warrant lay-offs or similar measures, Hosler said.

The budget cuts at Alabama were more drastic than the recent Pennsylvania cuts, Thomas said. The state cut 10 percent of its funding of the University of Alabama. More importantly, Thomas said, state aid comprised 60 percent of the University of Alabama's budget. Penn State receives 22 percent of its funding from the state, Thomas said, of which 5 percent was cut.

To counter its funding shortfall Alabama was forced to lay off some faculty and staff and eliminate several programs, Thomas said. But, agreeing with Hosler, Thomas said he does not anticipate laying off employees or eliminating any programs at Penn State.

The University is striving to maintain academic quality in the face of the budget cuts, Thomas said. Some construction and maintenance projects have been postponed to "nourish" or protect academic programs, he said.

Thomas said he learned at Alabama that departments, not the administration, should make budget decisions. Cuts should be made "as close as possible to the action," Thomas said.

This idea, which he first instituted at Alabama, has been well received by Penn State departments, Thomas said.

Hosler agreed.

"You can't do these things from the top down," he said.