Budget Updates > Letter to the Campus Community, June 25, 2008
Dear Colleagues,
As you know from our previous conversations, the State of Nevada is facing a major budget crisis, and as a result, the University of Nevada, Reno is facing a period that will be painful for our institution. I have been heartened by the response of our campus to this challenging time, and I am hopeful that you will all continue to demonstrate similar resiliency in the coming days.
Following earlier budget reduction requests from the state, our institution has been asked to take further steps to prepare for a double-digit budget reduction. This will not be an easy process. Budget cuts are damaging, and a double-digit reduction will fundamentally alter the nature of our institution. It will take our best thinking and effort to minimize the damage.
Today, as a first step toward meeting this request for Fiscal Year 2010-2011, the University issued a “notice of non-reappointment” to nearly 40 faculty and staff members. Because University academic faculty and administrative faculty are on annual contracts, personnel actions must be considered and implemented a year in advance per Board of Regents policies, thus necessitating this action to occur before July 1, 2008. For those in their third or more year of employment with the University, this constitutes a one-year notice that their position will be eliminated effective July 1, 2009.
This has great repercussions for our institution; we are not only eliminating positions, we are losing some of the greatest resources a University can ever offer its students — people. To these individuals, know that the University greatly appreciates and has benefitted from your service.
These decisions are not easy, but given the current budget situation, these steps are necessary. I continue to believe that, as the leaders of the state realize the effect of these deep reductions on all education and human services, our state leaders will come up with mechanisms to reduce long-term damage. In the meantime, however, as stewards of the University and the resources that the state provides us, we have little choice before us if we are to protect the University’s offerings to the greatest extent possible.
Today’s announcement is further acknowledgment that as we are faced with budgetary challenges, we will continue, first and foremost, to protect our core mission. By protecting to the best extent possible our teaching, research and the value of a degree from the University of Nevada, Reno, we will ensure that our ability to meet the needs of our state will not be fatally compromised for the future.
This reduction of our workforce will be felt on our campus for some time, particularly in reduced services and other key campus roles. And in the coming days, University administration will begin the process of assessing the institution’s programs and resources, to further prepare for the state’s budget reduction mandate. This may result in the elimination or consolidation of programs or other services. We will be as thoughtful as we can as we study possible scenarios, and we will measure each program or service’s value based on their centrality to our mission. Elimination or consolidation of any academic program will only occur after we hear from you — dialogue with faculty, staff and students in these potentially impacted areas will be actively sought.
In addition to these steps, as announced previously, the University will be making available a retirement incentive option for tenured faculty, options for early retirement for non-tenure track academic faculty and administrative faculty and, as well, we will continue the selective hiring freeze.
There are still challenges before us. In the short-term, we are a changed institution due to the budget cuts we have absorbed. Further cuts will leave us still a comprehensive university, though not at the level that our growing state needs. The breadth and depth of some areas will diminish. In the face of this challenge, though, we shall strive to protect the quality of the degrees we offer our students, and we shall continue to work to ensure that our students can earn degrees that are appropriate to their dreams, goals and interests.
Throughout this time, I have been impressed and gratified by the goodwill and commitment our faculty and staff have shown in providing our students with the quality education they deserve. Our greatest strength – and what I truly believe will sustain us through this difficult time – is the fact that no one stands alone on our campus.
We are a collegial and a cooperative campus, a place where the personal and collective calling of everyone is to make a difference. You have all stood in the face of great challenge for our state, and have worked hard to maintain the highest quality and highest standards. This spirit of collegial support is particularly important as at this time, at this moment in our institution’s history.
As we move forward with this process, we will be holding further town hall meetings, where I hope that you will continue to share your ideas and thoughts. As always, I welcome your thoughts: glick@unr.edu
Sincerely,
Milton D. Glick
President