It is no secret that Michigan is facing tough economic times.

To keep up, CMU is going to have to make significant cuts in the 2010-11 budget. The administration is reaching out to students and faculty for suggestions.

These students and faculty should take advantage of this opportunity to pitch in with ideas.

To send the university suggestions on what to cut, visitors can log in to https://ssl.cmich.edu/ssbag using their global identification. From there, students and faculty can click on “share your thoughts” and leave suggestions on cost-saving measures, enhancing operational efficiencies, generating alternative revenue and and anything else they would like to tell the Senior Budget Advisory Group.

The Web site also has a link to Michigan’s Economic Outlook, a PDF compiled by the Senate Fiscal Agency. The PDF documents Michigan’s economy from the late ’80s to the present, allowing viewers to formulate some sense of where the economy is heading. The last link on the Web site is the homepage of the Office of Financial Planning and Budgets, exposing viewers to the people that will make the final decisions in the budget
cuts.

The Web site will be up until Friday, the last day students and faculty can send their ideas for budget cuts.
CMU’s Director of Public Relations Steve Smith summed the situation up best: “Forecasts indicate state aid for higher education will continue to decline over the next several years. It is important that everyone have a voice in the decision-making process.”

Smith is right, and everyone should make the effort to have their voice heard. The university has made the process as easy as possible, allowing ample time for students to do research and seriously consider what is worth cutting out of the university budget. Students are encouraged to explore both links on the Web site so they have the most knowledge possible when sending their suggestions.

This is a pivotol moment for CMU. As Smith said, colleges around the state will receive less money from the state in years to come. What students suggest today will shape CMU’s goals and actions for the next decade, maybe even longer.

What students chose now will either make their alumni experiences great or terrible, such the current tailgating rules that soured Homecoming for many. Upperclassmen also should take into account future students and what they would like to experience at CMU.

Students will always be linked to CMU, even long after they graduate. They should take the time to make sure CMU’s future will stay bright by taking a few minutes out of their day.

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