March 4, 2009 - Debunking Budget Rumors (for students)

Western Students:

I have been hearing rumors concerning dramatic cuts to Western`s academic programs, things like: we have decided to eliminate "this" major or cut "that" academic program by 50%. So, I thought it important to share a direct budget update with you, our students, faculty and staff.

First, please understand that, except as previously announced, no budget decisions have been made. There`s a budget review process in effect for the 2009-2011 biennium that will begin this month and will culminate in June. This is an open and transparent process, one in which you will be able to see what is being proposed for discussion later this month on the University Budgeting and Planning website. And, one in which you can participate. Budget presentations by the University's Planning Unit Leaders will be made on March 18 and 19 and will be webcast. More information will follow on those. Based upon these presentations, a proposed budget will be prepared and made available, in draft form, for all of campus to discuss and improve.

It is true that Western is being asked to look at very serious budget reductions, just as are the other public universities in Washington and across the country. However, please be assured that protecting the quality of our academic programs is Western's top priority; in all budget scenarios I hear being discussed, that principle is being followed. There currently are no proposals to eliminate academic majors or academic programs as a part of university budget reductions.

At the upcoming budget presentations, deans will be discussing reductions to academic programs at the 3.8% and 5% levels. (For other parts of the university, presentations will also include possible cuts at the 7% level.). Suggestions that the cuts will be 50% or more for any major are simply untrue.

Further, at the levels of reductions currently being discussed, the academic deans believe, working closely with faculty and departmental leadership, that reductions can be made while assuring current students access to quality classes next fall. That is how our class schedule is being built and you will see the evidence as you soon register for fall term.

I do want to note that even in good economic times, dynamic universities start new academic programs and phase out programs that are no longer needed. When a phase out happens, though, commitments to current students are made and the phase out is over a period of years. So, even if it came to that – and I repeat that there are not such proposals – protecting current students would be a necessary principle.

This is a changing situation. Patience is necessary. We really don`t know what the final budget is going to be. Nobody does. Good people in Olympia are struggling with a difficult situation. And, they do understand what would happen to Washington's future – and, to you who are Washington's future – if the people's investment in higher education was drastically cut back.

Even if the budget scenario was to significantly worsen, through prudent management of our budgets we have preserved "bridging capacity" to deliver on the commitments I have just made: protecting quality first; assuring access to "Western quality" classes for current students next year; and still serving and graduating students in existing programs should it ever be necessary, in years ahead, to phase out an academic program.  

None of us know about the longer term, and we – the university, the state – may have to be piecing together all sorts of interim steps. But, there are any number of options that will allow us to do so.

In times of stress, none of us think as clearly as we otherwise would. Rumors then flourish. I appreciate those who have shared the rumors with me. We do have a place to post and check out rumors: Budget Rumors, Debunked.

Thank you for your patience. Thank you for all your ideas about saving money that you shared on the web: they are being considered by each division of the university as they develop and present their budgets this month. And, thank you for caring about the quality of Western education.

Bruce