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It
has been an exciting start to the fall semester at UCF. We have so
much to be proud of already.
I
am proud of how our staff and faculty members are working harder
than ever to support our students, despite $77.2 million in budget
cuts the past two years. Thank you for your dedication to our
students and university.
During
the past few weeks, I have received many questions about how UCF is
handling the budget. Some of the most frequently asked questions are
below, and I hope my responses help answer any questions you
have.
For additional information,
click
here to watch a video message from UCF President John Hitt.
Visit the
Budget
Resource Center for budget details and
updates.
Will there be more budget cuts this year?
For more than two years, we have taken a proactive
approach to the budget crisis. Through strategic use of reserve
funds, reducing expenses and the hard work of our staff and faculty
members, UCF has weathered the financial storm better than many
other universities.
We are pleased that there seems to be a
degree of budget stability. We have not been told that additional
state-mandated budget cuts are imminent.
Unfortunately, as
the past two years have shown, economic circumstances can change
quickly. But at this time we believe "no news is good news" in terms
of further cuts this fiscal year.
What does
enrollment growth mean to the budget?
Despite the
economy, UCF remains committed to our goal of
growth
with quality. Part of the university's mission is to provide
opportunities for a high-quality education, research and community
experience to qualified students.
With our fall freshman
class setting academic records and graduate enrollment at an
all-time high, UCF's growth is fueled by high-achieving students.
Enrollment growth has a direct financial benefit as well:
UCF will see about $5 million in additional revenue thanks to our
growth. These funds will directly help colleges and divisions as
they manage state-mandated budget cuts.
How are
colleges and divisions planning for the future, specifically when
federal stimulus money disappears?
UCF is using
federal stimulus money to preserve jobs that otherwise would be in
jeopardy due to budget cuts. A portion of the stimulus money is
being used to help phase out the programs we previously announced
will be eliminated or suspended.
Our first task is to prepare
a university budget for the 2011-12 fiscal year that reflects the
loss of federal stimulus money. I have directed colleges and
administrative divisions to begin planning for how to address the
budget shortfall that will occur when the stimulus funds disappear.
However, we also are working on a long-term plan that would
lessen the impact of the loss of stimulus funds by providing
colleges and divisions more time to replace those one-time funds
with recurring tuition revenue. I hope to be able to tell you more
about this developing plan in the very near future.
Our
goals are to preserve as many jobs and programs as possible and to
ensure the continued academic success of our students.
How can I learn more or become more
involved?
The university is committed to an open and
transparent budget planning process. I urge you to contact your
department chair, supervisor, dean or vice president with questions
and suggestions. I also
welcome
your feedback and look forward to hearing from you.
As
the budget process moves forward, I will continue to regularly
communicate about what is ahead for our university. Once again,
thank you for your dedication to UCF.
Sincerely,
Terry
L. Hickey, Ph.D.
Provost and Executive Vice President
For
questions and comments, please
click
here.
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