The office of Budget and Resource Planning at the University of Oregon held a public budget meeting Wednesday morning in Johnson Hall. The meeting, the third held in the past academic year, focused on general aspects of the university’s budget, as well a recently undertaken attempt to change the strategic budgeting process.
Jamie Moffitt, vice president for finance and administration and chief financial officer, began by outlining the university’s financial health and explaining how the budget is divided between the Education and General budget and the Auxillary budget.
Moffitt noted the importance of recent tuition hikes in balancing the budget of the past year, and emphasized that the recent tuition hike (3.7%) was merely a response to the reality of shrinking state funding and financial planning.
“[Even] if we’re in a balanced situation today…we have to raise costs to cover the deficit next year,” Moffitt said.
Brad Shelton, Vice Provost for Budget and Planning, took over the discussion to explain the university’s plan to “move forward” with a new system of strategic financial planning. Shelton spoke about the creation of a new Budget Advisory Committee to assist in the process.
The principal focus of the committee, made up chiefly of academics and administrators from the UO is “to reevaluate” the university’s investments, particularly faculty.
“We need a group that focuses on the academic…future of the university,” Shelton said. “On the other hand, we are a billion dollar institution, [with] a mission…so I want academic members of the committee looking at administrative policies as well.”
Reactions to the meeting were generally skeptical, but appreciative. Michael Dreiling, associate professor of sociology and president of faculty union United Academics, emphasized that his visit to the meeting was part of an effort to ensure transparency between the administration and the institution at large.
“What are the priorities? Are they in line with that of a liberal arts institution?” Dreiling said. “I thought Brad spoke to the issues well, [but] he’s still wrestling with the current budget model.”
The meeting was the last to be held in the 2015 – 2016 academic year.