<p>Borrowing for construction is widely done - even Harvard has most of its medical mortgaged, even the buildings constructed 100 years ago - but is a complex issue. </p>
<p>IF I recall correctly, debt is mostly used for science buildings because the cost of that debt is recoverable as an overhead expense through indirect costs (but I could be wrong - any grants folks reading?) but beyond that, it gets controversial in today’s economic environment</p>
<p>And don’t think they are not making budget cuts. Ran into some former colleagues a few weeks ago at a professional meeting. For the first time in their memory, budgets are frozen or reduced. And they are a revenue source.</p>
<p>Please also note the choice of words in the quotes in the article. NO across the board cuts or freezes does not mean none of either. It does not even mean no one will be spared cuts.</p>