AF Academy: Spending cuts haven't hurt academics

DENVER — The Air Force Academy says deep spending cuts haven’t hurt academics or substantially affected faculty numbers.

In an email to The Associated Press Wednesday, the school said foreign language and cultural immersion programs were curtailed, as was faculty travel.

An academy report released this month showed spending plunged by $177 million, or 21 percent, between fiscal years 2011 and 2012.

The reductions were part of long-term spending cuts by the military as it scales back and refocuses. Congress voted in 2011 to reduce projected Defense Department spending by $487 billion over 10 years.

Total academy payroll declined $71 million, or 17 percent, between 2011 and 2012. That includes military personnel, civilian employees and contractors.