President Bob Bruininks is proposing to change a more than 40-year-old scholarship that has attracted talented employees to the University of Minnesota by covering all of their tuition if they work more than 30 hours a week. Under the proposed changes, 2,300 employees that are covered by the Regents Scholarship will now have to foot 25 percent of the costs, which could save $2.5 million âÄî equal to about 40 jobs, according to Bruininks. Though getting 75 percent is still a fairly attractive offer, many of the employees came to work at the University because of the scholarshipâÄôs full tuition cover, not one of 75 percent. It is understandable that such decisions need to be made, but perhaps there could be a better way to save money in the budget. For example, if one took the total amount that makes up the top 100 highest paid employees at the University âÄî which totals to $27 millionâÄî and cut that amount by only 5 percent, the University would save roughly $1.35 million. If they were to be even more sacrificial and cut the amount by 10 percent, they would save $2.7 million. Of course, the University is cutting all around to save money and the Regents Scholarship is among these cuts. The administration is being faced with difficult choices and seems to have the interest of keeping as many employees working as possible. However, there needs to be consideration of cuts made at the top, not the bottom. Employees who are working hard and trying to get a college education should not be taking that big of a hit to save the University money. A 25 percent cut is too extreme and the University should look elsewhere before it looks to the employees that make sure this University functions day-in and day-out. We believe the changes to the Regents Scholarship should be reconsidered. If it needs to be cut, why not cut it by 10 percent, matched with a cut of 10 percent to the top 100 highest paid employees at the University. Desperate times call for desperate measures.