Budget Update #2 — January 22, 2003

SCSU must begin immediately to prepare for the next biennial budget and the reduction in state appropriation that we expect from the legislature. In responding to budget cuts, SCSU should be guided by the following principles and alternatives:

1. Our highest priority must be to provide quality education to our students.
2. Admission of new freshmen and transfer students should be capped so that we can accommodate the students we admit.
3. Deans and directors should scrutinize their budgets to reduce expenditures and find cost savings.
4. All units of the university should contribute to budgetary solutions.
5. We will try, as fully as possible, to preserve the jobs of employees, assuming that contractual expectations of employee performance are maintained.

Accordingly, the university must implement the following steps:

1. All faculty searches for academic year 2003-2004 are frozen. Selected positions will be reauthorized based upon compelling need.
2. All non-faculty positions will be carefully reviewed before searches are authorized or continued.

Budget-cutting is a painful process that will require the cooperation of the entire campus community. As president Saigo wrote last week, information will be shared broadly as it becomes available, and campus input and suggestions will be solicited and appreciated.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation as we address this challenging process. St. Cloud State University has faced difficult budget times in the past, and it is almost certain we will face them again in the future. I believe the key to successfully weathering this difficult period is to work together to focus on our first priority, the education of our students.

Michael Spitzer
Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs