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		Letter to Editor Posted April 8, 2003 Letter © 2003 Curtis Tompkins Published with Permission

MTU Budget Committee open to suggestions

By Dr. Curtis Tompkins, President, Michigan Technological University

April 2, 2003

Dear Faculty, Staff, and Students:

Michigan Tech has endured many financial crises since 1885 and almost as many severe snow storms in late March. In each case we have dug through with hard work and intelligence, and we came out stronger for it.

In my recent letters to you, I outlined the challenges we face--a 10 percent decrease in state appropriation next fiscal year and the possibility of two additional years of reduced funding from the State. This comes on top of some significant belt tightening at the University over the past two fiscal years.

During this time we have had input from Deans, Directors, and Department Chairs, as well as three ongoing groups representing a wide cross section of the University community. The Budget Advisory Group (BAG) has been providing counsel to the Provost on budget issues ranging from cost saving initiatives to numerous tuition options. The innovation of the Benefits Liaison Group (BLG) has provided significant savings to the University, while maintaining high quality fringe benefits for faculty and staff. The Strategic Plan Working Group has been actively involved in budgetary decisions to ensure that University resources are targeted at our long- as well as short-range strategic goals.

Today, the newly formed Presidential Budget Reduction Advisory Committee is meeting for the first time. I have charged this committee with reviewing the budget cutting proposals submitted by units, incorporating input from the ongoing University committees which have been working on the issue, and developing an initial budget reduction proposal.

This committee will be chaired by Provost Kent Wray. The membership will be similar to the Reconfiguration Committee outlined in University Senate Proposals 15-02 and 16-02, Procedures for Dealing with a Financial Crisis and Procedures for Dealing with Financial Stress. While these procedures have not yet been invoked, the committee will provide the broad and balanced input and opinion needed to develop these budget proposals.

I encourage each of you to get involved in the process. Budget reduction proposals will be posted at www.mtu.edu/budget and you will be able to submit your confidential opinions and suggestions to the committee.

The Advisory Committee will also conduct an open forum on the proposed reduction April 16 and will make public its first draft on May 1. Faculty, staff, and students may then submit comments to the committee from May 1 to May 21, before the final report is issued on June 3.

The Board of Control is tentatively planning to meet on June 25 for final budget action, following anticipated action by the legislature on our appropriation for the 2003-04 fiscal year.

We have established a broad and balanced Presidential Budget Reduction Committee and have provided University stakeholders with ample opportunity to have their views considered. I encourage each of you to get involved.

While some of the decisions we make will be painful, we will not be deterred from the pursuit of our strategic goals and objectives. We will get through these difficult times and Michigan Tech will continue to move toward our vision of being a national university of choice.

Sincerely,

Curtis J. Tompkins
President

Editor's Note: This is the third in a series of weekly letters that Michigan Tech President Curtis Tompkins has written to faculty, staff and students concerning the present budget crisis. More information, including President Tompkins' previous letters, is available on the MTU 2003-04 Budget Information Web site. Questions and comments about the budget-reduction process can be addressed to brac-l@mtu.edu.

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