Friday deadline for students, faculty to suggest CMU 2010-11 budget cuts
Students, faculty and staff have until Friday to make suggestions on what university officials should cut from Central Michigan University’s 2010-11 budget.
On Oct. 16, the Senior Staff Budget Advisory Group launched a Web site to allow recommendations.
“CMU is not exempt from the severe economic challenges being experienced across Michigan and beyond,” said director of public relations Steve Smith. “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.”
The Web site will help SSBAG make important decisions with all members of CMU in mind, said David Burdette, vice president of Finance and Administrative Services and co-chairman of SSBAG.
Those interested can visit https://ssl.cmich.edu/ssbag/ and click “Share your thoughts” on the right. Commentary is available for four different areas — Suggestions for cost-saving measures, enhancing operational efficiencies, generating alternate revenue and other comments to share with the Senior Staff Budget Advisory Group.
It is optional to leave a name and contact information.
Getting involved
Reese junior Amy Hill said giving a suggestion is something she would be interested in.
“It’s a good way to get more students involved and to see what they want from their time here,” she said.
SSBAG is hoping for ideas on how to reduce university expenses and also find ways to creatively and successfully generate revenue, Smith said.
“It is important to engage the entire university community in this decision making process,” Smith said. “Every person on campus through their own experiences has ideas on cutting costs, operation efficiencies and ways to generate additional revenues. We want to hear those ideas.”
After suggestions have been made, they are sent to Interim Provost and SSBAG co-chairman Gary Shapiro.
The group will review those ideas and then decide if they fit into the budget, he said.
Suggestions are sorted into categories of possible and not possible, but all recommendations are being reviewed and considered as very important, Shapiro said.
“We are calling this a work in progress. There have been about 25 suggestions thus far,” Burdette said.
Shapiro said he will make his suggestions to Interim University President Kathy Wilbur and she will take the rest of the semester to consider the suggestions.
