Dear colleagues:
“We have had no end of a lesson; it will do us no end of good”
The Senate Budget Committee met 09JAN to review and discuss a
comprehensive draft for ten or fifteen percent reductions to the academic
area budget. The simple fact is that state monies for PUC have been
declining steadily for some time and, more recently, student tuition revenue
has also dropped. The combined effect of both these variables cannot be
determined with precision right now, but prudent plans need to be made
for a budget shortfall as large as three on a total of eighty-six million
dollars. We must cut our suit according to the cloth we have available,
balancing revenues with costs.
Later this spring, the actual level of state support will be known; and we
know that spring final enrollment will probably be down by nearly a fifth
compared with last year. Thus it is clear that the university needs to make
the sacrifices required. Fall 2013 course schedules are now being evaluated
to see their budgetary effects. (Summer is not in the equation, since it has a
separate, efficient, working formula.) This year we are eating our reserves
and cannot consider spending what we do not have next year. Clearly, a
better symmetry between revenues and costs must be established for AY
2013-2014.
Shrinkage is unavoidable, yet in the discussion VCAA Rogers
emphasized that final reductions would not be the same across the board.
The attached Academic Affairs Impact Summary 10% and 15% proposals are
first drafts. His group is looking at and trying to evaluate all alternatives
and their impact on instruction. Efficient, successful and distinctive
programs that attract better students will not be unfairly penalized, but cost
trimming is essential all round. The SLT and deans are very much trying to
maintain our ability to deliver a quality experience yet not suffer further
losses in student credit hours. Bold, imaginative, and attractive academic
programs are a good return on investment for our students. Austerity
policies should not diminish or reduce them.
All agreed upon the need for efficiencies. It was suggested,
however, that if the average class size were to increase by two students, we
would be in the clear. Also, it was proposed that a 50% increase in foreign
students would abolish a shortfall. The lasting benefits of trimming fat and
rebalancing were stressed. The conversation around the table recognized
that the fall semester deadline requires realistic possible outcomes to be
readied now. In short, this is the first step in a dynamic and open process
that is crucial to the future of the university. Falling revenues have the
healthy side effect of forcing us to think creatively about how to get the
best value from our suddenly limited resources.
Please convey your views directly to your department senate
representative or your school budget committee representative:
MARK ARCIAGA
AMLAN MITRA
BETH VOTTERO
CHANDRA SEKHAR
COLIN FEWER
GEOFF SCHULTZ
WEI-TSYI EVERT TING
SHOMIR SIL
CASIMIR BARCZYK
Student Government.
School of Management
School of Nursing
School of Technology
School of Liberal Arts and Sciences
School of Education
School of Engineering, Math and Science
Member at large
Liaison with Faculty Affairs Committee
SPRING 2013 Senate Budget Committee Meeting Schedule
WED
FEBRUARY 20
WED
MARCH 20
WED
APRIL 17
ALL MTGS IN CIVS 109 3:30PM
Cordially,
Geoffrey
Member at large & elected chair