SLA faces budget crunch: leaves CNI; still, Global Online University moves ahead.(LJ news)(Brief Article)

SLA (the Special Libraries Association) has set next year's priorities, and professional development is in the forefront. It slashed $1 million during its 2005 budget planning process while allocating funds for an ambitious online continuing education product. Budget challenges have been exacerbated by falling stock prices, debts to hotels when conference attendance was lower than anticipated, and the growing number of SLA members (now nine percent) who converted to student rates, paying $35 rather than $100.

Still, in October the SLA board allocated $120,000 to start the Global Online University. The money comes from the nearly $500,000 profit realized from selling …