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Budget Process Memo: 2006-07

To: President Bernstine
Vice President Roy Koch
Vice President Cassie McVeety
FADM Directors

From: Vice President Lindsay A. Desrochers

Date: March 3, 2006

Re: Budget Process 2006-07

As part of our budget process this year we have recently asked our administrative/support units to provide information on the role of the unit in relation to the larger mission of the institution and also to provide performance indicators. As a second step in the budget process we now need to ask you to provide us with options for budget reductions of 6%. While we are very aware of the previous budget reductions and how they have affected the overall administrative infrastructure of the campus, we still need to assess all of the options available to us. Therefore I would like to ask you to look over your operations and identify 6% of your total dollars based on total E & G (centrally funded) budget in 2005-06. Please specify what kind of reductions this 6% represents in terms of possible positions or functions whichever is most comfortable for you. Keep your submittal to a single page summary (detail may be attached). You do not need to identify exact positions. It is our intention to make budget decisions on a strategic basis and to consider important information such as performance measures. You may wish to include a statement of impact of your proposed reductions in the context of this approach. See below for a full list of principles.

PLEASE RETURN YOUR OPTIONS TO YOUR VP OR PROVOST BY MARCH 24- THEY WILL BE FORWARDED TO THE BUDGET OFFICE

The principles we are using in assessing budget decisions are:

  • Budget reductions can not be accomplished through the use of fund balance.
  • Consideration will be given to equity in funding based on performance.
  • Across the board reductions are not advisable given the impacts of past reductions in the support services units of the institution.
  • Programs will be viewed in terms of productivity factors and contributions to the mission of the University. (Our discussion of productivity and contributions for academic units will be guided by the examples of criteria proposed by the Faculty Senate Budget Committee in June 2005)
  • It remains important to invest in the University's strategic support infrastructure and in strategic program priorities.
  • Budget decisions for the coming budget year should be made in light of mission and long-term goals of the institution as much as possible.