June 29, 2009
Dear Colleagues,
The legislative session concluded last week with some positive news for Louisiana universities.
By restoring funds to higher education for FY 2009-2010, it is apparent that our Governor and our Legislature understand the vital role that higher education plays in our state. The diligence of Governor Jindal and members of the House and Senate provides an opportunity for our institution to plan for the future, to maximize our resources, and to find further efficiencies in the way in which we do business at ULM. Even after this restoration, however, our university will still have to absorb budget cuts of around $7 million.
However, this amount is significantly less than the $10.5 million originally projected, and for that, we are grateful to the Legislature and Governor. We are also grateful to all of those who voiced their support for higher education: you, our faculty and staff, our students, our alumni, and our many friends from the Monroe and West Monroe communities.
What does this mean for ULM?
During the next several weeks, we will work with the University of Louisiana System and Louisiana Board of Regents to determine ULM's final budget numbers for FY 2009-2010. It is important to realize that these recent restorations are only a temporary reprieve. If nothing changes between now and this time next year, our FY 2010-2011 budget could have reductions similar to those that were originally projected for this year, and in FY 2011-2012 federal stimulus dollars will be eliminated and we will face even greater reductions.
At ULM, our inclusive budget process serves us well, and we continue to examine additional ways to engage the campus community in its development. Remember, we began planning for the upcoming budget in March. Deans consulted their Faculty Budget Committees, Provost Richters convened an Academic Affairs Budget Committee, and Vice President for Finance Dave Nicklas sought input from the Administrative Budget Committee. During the last few weeks, the Strategic Resource Allocation Committee examined the work of all these committees and is currently drafting a report for my review.
We will continue this inclusive process through the finalization of the budget and into the implementation for next year. First, I plan to convene an all-inclusive group to review the final draft of the budget. I asked the leadership of the Faculty Senate, Staff Senate, Strategic Planning Committee and Strategic Resource Allocation Committee to appoint a small group of individuals to meet with me, the Vice Presidents and the Academic Deans to review the proposed FY 2009-2010 budget in detail, and to offer suggestions for refinement before it is submitted to the Board of Supervisors.
Second, we need to develop specific plans for the next three years. To begin this process, I will ask the same individuals, as named above, who help us develop the final budget to serve as an ad hoc planning group. I will convene the group, and using a trained facilitator, develop specific goals and objectives to meet the challenges of the future. I intend for us to determine the institution’s response to the change in the new funding formula, realities of student demographics, our new funding paradigm, and the possible impact of the Postsecondary Education Review Commission.
Martin Luther King, Jr. once said that, “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” Clearly, we will all be measured in the coming days, weeks, and months. If nothing else, these last seven years have taught me one thing, this is a great university, destined for great things, because we have great people here.
Sincerely,
Jim Cofer
President