UAlbany Budget Updates
Message from President Philip on Fri, May 22, 2009
To the University Community:
I want to take this opportunity to update you on our campus financial situation. As you know, our University, like many across the country, is experiencing significant budget reductions. I'd like to discuss the steps we are taking to both meet these challenges and move the University at Albany forward. In the weeks ahead, we will be developing a plan to produce a balanced 2009-2010 budget.
At our recent town hall meetings and the spring faculty meeting we reviewed how state budget cuts require UAlbany to again reduce its budget by $4 million. Governor Paterson recently suggested there might be further reductions later this year. This is in addition to the reductions totaling $14.2 million made in our 2008-2009 campus budget.
To address the difficult challenges posed by these unprecedented cuts, we have begun the process of developing and weighing different options.
Many faculty and staff across the campus have already participated in multiple town hall meetings, the Budget Advisory Group, meetings with department chairs and the faculty senate. Throughout this process, we plan to continue an open dialogue and consult broadly with our campus community. Just last week, Provost Susan Phillips met with the University Planning and Policy Committee to review the situation and receive their input.
I commend the numerous faculty who have come forward with meaningful suggestions and creative solutions to help mitigate the potential adverse impact of reductions in units, programs and personnel. I urge you to continue to advance your suggestions to SuggestionBox@uamail.albany.edu
None of our choices will be easy. Our overarching goal is to preserve and build upon our academic excellence. We are guided by the principles and priorities developed by the campus Budget Advisory Group. These principles call on us to identify and support what is most essential to advancing our core mission.
We will also need to seek greater efficiencies and work more aggressively to increase our revenues from sources other than state tax support. Our situation will require tough decision-making. When all is said and done, I am confident that by working together, thinking strategically, and through open discussion, we can position ourselves to emerge stronger.
UAlbany is a place of tremendous excellence, and our core strength is all of you. This is why I am confident UAlbany will overcome these challenges and continue our course as a preeminent public research university and flagship of the State University of New York system.
Sincerely,
George M. Philip
Interim President
