Budget forum goes over cuts, plans for future
Brighton freshman Colleen McNeely left Tuesday’s budget forum with concerns on her mind.
“They presented some data that worried me of the future of this university,” she said.
The Bovee University Center auditorium discussion touched on topics concerning the structure of Central Michigan University’s budget, reduction suggestions and ways to prevent faculty layoffs.
The auditorium was more than 75 percent full, including several students. After a presentation from the panel, the floor opened for questions. Three questions were posed.
“I was expecting more questions,” said interim University President Kathy Wilbur. “I don’t think we should pat ourselves on the back for clearing everything up.”
The Senior Staff Budget Advisory Group planned four major categories for budget reductions, totaling more than $2.1 million.
The first was $595,000 held in a pool that has gone unused for years. The money was designated for senior officers, professional and administrative employees to have a one-time raise.
“The money was just sitting there,” said Steve Smith, director of Public Relations.
The second category was a $500,000 cut from the CMU 2010 Vision Plan funding. Usually, $1 million is spent each year on the project but, since this is the project’s last year, funding was cut, Shapiro said.
The third suggestion was to cut $600,000 in deferred maintenance, with the last category being a $435,000 reduction in liability reductions.
“That is $2.1 million of university savings,” Burdette said. “We think that’s pretty good.”
3, 6 and 9 percent cuts
Wilbur said she and other administrators are still considering the 3, 6 and 9 percent budget reduction suggestions she received Feb. 15 from each university budget center.
Cutting 3 percent from the budget would amount to $11,733,314, according to a slide shown during the presentation. Six percent would be $23,466,627, and 9 percent would total $35,199,941.
The percentage of cuts needed still is uncertain, Wilbur said, as there could be up to a 20 percent cut in state appropriations.
Some centers were pretty straightforward when it came to the 9 percent reduction suggestion, Wilbur said.
“We would be shutting off the lights and shutting the doors,” Wilbur said, referring to closures, in the event of 9 percent reductions.
Starting last semester, the CMU community could offer suggestions through the CMU Portal on what to cut from the budget. The suggestions were combined with the SSBAG’s suggestions. There were more than 150 in all, Shapiro said.
Central Michigan Life sent a Freedom of Information Act request earlier in the month for the suggestions. It was denied.
Wilbur said some of the suggestions, with responses, will be posted on the CMU Portal announcement section by Friday.
Future budget meetings?
Staff and faculty salaries and benefits amount to about 70 percent of the operating budget, Burdette said.
Other areas for cuts must be determined, but the university has some alternative in mind to try and avoid faculty and staff layoffs, Wilbur said.
“We will have well advanced notice if and when there are layoffs,” Burdette said.
The university has considered freezing pay rates, early retirements, furlough days and tweaking benefits, he said.
Furlough days are another way to prevent layoffs, Wilbur said.
Merodie Hancock, vice president for ProfEd, said a lot of staff members are concerned about layoffs. Everyone is looking for answers, she said.
“I’m concerned about it departmentally,” Hancock said. “We’re not highly staffed. Everyone already has a big workload.”
But Hancock said this forum laid the groundwork for future discussions.
Wilbur said this will be the first of many budget forums, in hopes of keeping the campus community updated.
