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Update #39

CENTRAL MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY
OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT
March 3, 2004
To: CMU Colleagues and Students
From: Mike Rao
Subject: CMU Update #39

VISION, PRIORITIES TO DETERMINE BUDGET DECISIONS

Governor Granholm is asking universities to limit tuition and mandatory fee increases to 2.4 percent next year. Compliance with this “tuition challenge” would restore 3 percent of the 5 percent cut made last December and keep next year’s appropriation the same. Universities that do not accept the challenge will lose some state funding. This proposal is subject to review and approval by the state legislature. 

It is important to understand that CMU’s acceptance of the tuition challenge means that the university will cut $7 million in addition to the $14.3 million the university cut from the current year’s budget. From this point, any cuts will impact services, academic programs, and positions. We will continue not to make “across-the-board” cuts, requiring very difficult choices. 

A budget forum was held on March 2 in the Bovee University Center Auditorium and another is scheduled on March 29 at 2 p.m. in the same location. Everyone is welcome.

REVISIONS CLARIFY PROGRAM REVIEW EXPECTATIONS

The Academic Planning Council has made its recommendation to the provost for revisions to the academic program review process. The Council will clarify expectations for quality and will focus the process on regional accreditation criteria. Please see the Academic Planning Council’s web site http://www.provost.cmich.edu/viceprovost/apc.htm.

CEL RESTRUCTURING TO STRENGTHEN FOCUS

CMU is moving forward with a major restructuring of what we now know as the College of Extended Learning in order to more effectively compete in delivering academically rigorous, fiscally sound, responsive-to-market programs to working professionals (see http://www.cmich.edu/newstips/ntips.asp?ID=639 ). Please see more on this topic and offer your ideas by clicking to an information web site that Interim Dean Terry Rawls and his team developed: http://www.cel.cmich.edu/celchanges/.

MASTER PLAN IDENTIFIES NEEDED UTILITY UPGRADES

Growth on the Mt. Pleasant campus has used up all available electrical and air conditioning supply capacity. Significant utility infrastructure upgrades are required before any new major buildings or loads can be added. The Board of Trustees Facilities subcommittee, chaired by Melanie Foster, has sponsored the development of a ten-year Utility Master Plan to address these bottlenecks and to develop a proactive plan to address future campus growth and utility infrastructure needs. A $21million conceptual plan has been developed to increase the electrical and chilled water supply and to make needed improvements in the Central Energy Facility, various utility distribution systems, and energy management capabilities.

ENERGY CONSERVATION EFFORTS ON-GOING

The University Energy Committee is active and seeking to identify, communicate, and promote energy conservation efforts at the university. The committee is chaired by Tim Vajcner, Director Plant Energy & Utilities, and comprises a cross section of staff, faculty, students, and an outside guest consultant. Three focus committees have been established - Energy Communications Committee, Water Saver Committee, and Lighting Energy Committee. The committees are working on a range of activities, including reviewing lighting standards, evaluating vending machine energy reduction devices, and more visibly promoting the energy conservation efforts to the campus community. For additional information, including a link to submit energy savings suggestions, please click on: http://www.fmgt.cmich.edu/energy_ECon.html. Though seemingly simplistic, I ask that you work diligently to turn off lights when not in use and adjust thermostats to 68 degrees in the winter and 76 degrees in the summer. Update 28 has a more complete list of suggested actions.

OUR CHARGE: BE CREATIVE IN CUTTING COSTS

Besides the energy saving suggestions included above, please help the university by reviewing and complying with the following cost-saving suggestions:

  • Shut off equipment (e.g., computers, monitors, copy machines, appliances) or put computers in hibernation mode when not in use.

  • Reduce printed materials wherever possible. Communicate on-line whenever possible, particularly internally.

  • Use printed envelopes for external communications.

  • Make two-sided copies where practical.

  • Reimburse for vehicle usage at the lesser of CMU’s mileage rate or the use of an Enterprise rental car. The comparison can be calculated at the Efficiency Commission’s web site at http://www.purchasing.cmich.edu/efc/Awareness.html.

  • Reduce multiple copies of periodicals that could be shared or borrowed from the library. Please make an effort to share subscriptions.

  • Review services that are provided to multiple departments by outside vendors for purchasing efficiencies.

  • Where practical, limit travel to conferences and seminars and limit the number of employees attending the same conference or seminar.

  • Limit university dollars spent for employee appreciation, retirement, and holiday functions.

  • Limit university expenditures for department or college marketing items (e.g., pens, coffee mugs) and staff clothing.

  • Where practical and approved, focus expenditures so that they help leverage resources back to the university (e.g., fund raising, revenue-bearing partnerships).