2008 Woodie Awards
Provost approves budget cuts
Departments forced to tighten belts after state funding cutback
By: Brian McLean
Issue date: 11/14/07 Section: News
- Page 1 of 1
Interim Provost Gary Shapiro approved budget reductions that total $1.3 million on Tuesday.
The reductions, which were organized at the departmental level, are aimed at offsetting a cut in state funding from May.
Ray Christie, vice provost for academic administration, said he trusted academic college deans to identify places that would have the least impact on student learning.
"I think the deans and the unit directors are in the best position," he said.
On Tuesday, Christie and Shapiro reviewed the budgets and ensured they are ready to be enacted.
Details about exactly what each department will cut remain thin. Figures were not released on Tuesday, but Christie said more information will come soon.
With Shapiro's approval, the reductions will be sent to University President Michael Rao, said Carol Haas, director of financial planning and budgets.
Haas said she did not know when Rao would approve the budgets, but said it should be soon after he receives them.
"I'm sure that they'll be done before the end of December," she said.
This summer, Rao requested all departments reduce their budgets by 0.5 percent.
The reductions included a total of 1 percent, with the additional 0.5 percent placed for reallocation, Christie said.
The second 0.5 percent could move money between departments and could be returned. Proposed reductions were due at the vice president level on Oct. 19. Budget requests, including the reallocations, were due at the end of October, Christie said.
However, he said, there is no set date for the funding to be reallocated.
Haas said the Oct. 19 deadline for the departmental cuts was the only concrete date.
Christie said this fiscal year's operating budget is designed to include the reductions, but provides the entire fiscal year to put them into effect.
"There's no real rush," he said.
Roger Coles, interim dean of the College of Graduate Studies, declined to comment on budget specifics until the cuts received provost approval.
"We have made our cuts," Coles said. "They're not pleasant, but they needed to be done."
Deans were advised not to comment before the provost's approval, Coles said.
Look for Friday's edition of Central Michigan Life for more information, including what was cut from each department.
news@cm-life.com
The reductions, which were organized at the departmental level, are aimed at offsetting a cut in state funding from May.
Ray Christie, vice provost for academic administration, said he trusted academic college deans to identify places that would have the least impact on student learning.
"I think the deans and the unit directors are in the best position," he said.
On Tuesday, Christie and Shapiro reviewed the budgets and ensured they are ready to be enacted.
Details about exactly what each department will cut remain thin. Figures were not released on Tuesday, but Christie said more information will come soon.
With Shapiro's approval, the reductions will be sent to University President Michael Rao, said Carol Haas, director of financial planning and budgets.
Haas said she did not know when Rao would approve the budgets, but said it should be soon after he receives them.
"I'm sure that they'll be done before the end of December," she said.
This summer, Rao requested all departments reduce their budgets by 0.5 percent.
The reductions included a total of 1 percent, with the additional 0.5 percent placed for reallocation, Christie said.
The second 0.5 percent could move money between departments and could be returned. Proposed reductions were due at the vice president level on Oct. 19. Budget requests, including the reallocations, were due at the end of October, Christie said.
However, he said, there is no set date for the funding to be reallocated.
Haas said the Oct. 19 deadline for the departmental cuts was the only concrete date.
Christie said this fiscal year's operating budget is designed to include the reductions, but provides the entire fiscal year to put them into effect.
"There's no real rush," he said.
Roger Coles, interim dean of the College of Graduate Studies, declined to comment on budget specifics until the cuts received provost approval.
"We have made our cuts," Coles said. "They're not pleasant, but they needed to be done."
Deans were advised not to comment before the provost's approval, Coles said.
Look for Friday's edition of Central Michigan Life for more information, including what was cut from each department.
news@cm-life.com
Be the first to comment on this story