FHSU Budget Bulletin

Jan. 6, 2009

After I alerted all of you to the pending budget challenges last semester, I invited you to use the Budget Watch site on the FHSU home page to post creative ideas and thoughtful suggestions for how the university can deal with the expected budget cuts. The response has been tremendous, and it has been especially interesting to see that many of you have generated similar suggestions.

I also invited you to post questions on the Budget Watch site, and here are answers to some of the questions we have received so far. First, though, I should remind you that we still do not know exactly what to expect. We're waiting to see the governor's budget recommendations next week. Then we will have to wait for final action by the Kansas Legislature. The wait is difficult, but I ask you to be patient.

Q. What is the status of funding for the new Tourism and Hospitality Management degree program?
A. The program has been funded and it is up and running.

Q. Should the new soccer stadium and soccer program be delayed?
A. Construction of the university's soccer stadium remains on track. The $2-million cost will be funded by one-time money. That money cannot be used to solve our base budget problem, and suspending the project would cause an immediate reduction in the university's impact on the local economy. We did alter our original plans by entering a partnership with the city of Hays to build the stadium as part of the Hays Sports Complex, which will maximize savings for both the university and the city.

As for the soccer program, we had budgeted to hire coaches this spring to join the Athletic Department staff in the fall of 2009, but we have frozen those positions. We still plan to launch competitive soccer teams for both men and women in 2010, but the plan is now that the coaches will be hired next year at the earliest and will not have a year to prepare as we originally planned.

Q. What impact will the budget cuts have on the Kansas Academy of Mathematics and Science?
A. The Legislature approved funding for KAMS for five years, but the state budget director recently recommended that those funds should be cut. We hope to move ahead, but we are waiting to see whether the state funding survives. If we lose the state funding, we will try to find another way to finance it because of the great benefit KAMS represents both to our university and to the people of Kansas.

Q. If the campus is closed on Fridays next summer, will we work 8-hour days, 9-hour days or 10-hour days?
A. We have made a firm decision to reduce the workweek to four days next summer, but no final decision has yet been made about work hours. We are aware of complications regarding childcare and second jobs, and we will accommodate those needs insofar as possible. I understand that many of you have an urgent need to know what the work schedules will be. We will inform you as quickly as possible, but there simply is no way to make the final decision until we know what budget cuts the Legislature will require.

Q. Will all on-campus classes be canceled for the 2009 summer term?
A. When I announced the cancellation of on-campus classes during the summer term, I emphasized that some exceptions would be made. In this as in other areas, we will do everything we can to accommodate our students. We are reviewing classes now, and we will make an announcement about on-campus classes as quickly as possible. However, it is certain that we will move some of the on-campus classes to the Virtual College next summer and we will have fewer on-campus classes.

Q. How much money could be saved by sending the pay stubs through campus mail instead of using postage?
A. This question and some of the suggestions posted on the Budget Watch site would require changes at the state level. We will forward the suggestions to the officials who have the authority to make those changes.

Q. Will there be significant energy savings by closing the campus on Fridays during the summer? Should we install solar heating for water? Should we turn off the chillers on the drinking fountains across campus? Are the efforts continuing to build wind turbines on university property?
A. We are looking at various energy savings and we'll give notice when decisions are made. The wind energy efforts are continuing, but that is not going to happen in the near term. We are working through various legal issues, such as proposed restrictions in the city's three-mile zoning regulations.

Q. Would it be possible to post the list of creative ideas and thoughtful suggestions so that everyone can see them?
A. I have considered doing that, but it is extremely important that I hear from as many of you as possible. If you see that someone else has already posted your suggestion, you may not post it yourself. It is helpful to me see which suggestions are widely shared and to see them presented in various ways. I will continue to use these Budget Bulletins to keep you informed on a timely basis.